diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImpl.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImpl.java
index b1e921ea7..b84267e0a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImpl.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImpl.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ import org.joda.time.DateTime;
 public class JpaTransactionManagerImpl implements JpaTransactionManager {
 
   private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
-  private static final Retrier retrier = new Retrier(new SystemSleeper(), 3);
+  private static final Retrier retrier = new Retrier(new SystemSleeper(), 6);
   private static final String NESTED_TRANSACTION_MESSAGE =
       "Nested transaction detected. Try refactoring to avoid nested transactions. If unachievable,"
           + " use reTransact() in nested transactions";
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImplTest.java b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImplTest.java
index 07c23c8f7..c1aa6de49 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImplTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/transaction/JpaTransactionManagerImplTest.java
@@ -293,11 +293,11 @@ class JpaTransactionManagerImplTest {
     assertThrows(
         OptimisticLockException.class,
         () -> spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey)));
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(3)).delete(theEntityKey);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).delete(theEntityKey);
     assertThrows(
         OptimisticLockException.class,
         () -> spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey)));
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).delete(theEntityKey);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(12)).delete(theEntityKey);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -355,10 +355,10 @@ class JpaTransactionManagerImplTest {
     spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.insert(theEntity));
     assertThrows(
         RuntimeException.class, () -> spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey)));
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(3)).delete(theEntityKey);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).delete(theEntityKey);
     assertThrows(
         RuntimeException.class, () -> spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey)));
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).delete(theEntityKey);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(12)).delete(theEntityKey);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -759,11 +759,11 @@ class JpaTransactionManagerImplTest {
             spyJpaTm.transact(
                 () -> {
                   spyJpaTm.exists(theEntity);
-                  spyJpaTm.transact(() -> spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey));
+                  spyJpaTm.delete(theEntityKey);
                 }));
 
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(3)).exists(theEntity);
-    verify(spyJpaTm, times(3)).delete(theEntityKey);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).exists(theEntity);
+    verify(spyJpaTm, times(6)).delete(theEntityKey);
   }
 
   private static void insertPerson(int age) {
diff --git a/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/Retrier.java b/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/Retrier.java
index c63d6744c..461db3f48 100644
--- a/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/Retrier.java
+++ b/util/src/main/java/google/registry/util/Retrier.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
 import jakarta.inject.Inject;
 import jakarta.inject.Named;
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ public class Retrier implements Serializable {
 
   private static final long serialVersionUID = 1167386907195735483L;
 
+  private static final Random randomForSkew = new Random();
+
   private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
 
   private final Sleeper sleeper;
@@ -157,9 +160,11 @@ public class Retrier implements Serializable {
           throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
         failureReporter.beforeRetry(e, failures, attempts);
+        // Wait (skewed) 100ms on the first attempt, doubling on each subsequent attempt.
+        long backoffMillis = pow(2, failures) * 100L;
+        long sleepDurationMillis = Math.round(randomForSkew.nextDouble(0.8, 1.2) * backoffMillis);
         try {
-          // Wait 100ms on the first attempt, doubling on each subsequent attempt.
-          sleeper.sleep(Duration.millis(pow(2, failures) * 100L));
+          sleeper.sleep(Duration.millis(sleepDurationMillis));
         } catch (InterruptedException e2) {
           // Since we're not rethrowing InterruptedException, set the interrupt state on the thread
           // so the next blocking operation will know to abort the thread.