diff --git a/qla2x00t/qla2x00-target/qla2x00t.c b/qla2x00t/qla2x00-target/qla2x00t.c
index 8e5a8db2c..ba7813af7 100644
--- a/qla2x00t/qla2x00-target/qla2x00t.c
+++ b/qla2x00t/qla2x00-target/qla2x00t.c
@@ -5823,8 +5823,10 @@ static void q2t_on_hw_pending_cmd_timeout(struct scst_cmd *scst_cmd)
 
 		q2t_cleanup_hw_pending_cmd(ha, cmd);
 
-		scst_rx_data(scst_cmd, SCST_RX_STATUS_ERROR_FATAL,
-				SCST_CONTEXT_THREAD);
+		/* It might be sporadic, hence retriable */
+		scst_set_cmd_error(scst_cmd,
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
+		scst_rx_data(scst_cmd, SCST_RX_STATUS_ERROR_SENSE_SET, SCST_CONTEXT_THREAD);
 		goto out_unlock;
 	} else if (cmd->state == Q2T_STATE_ABORTED) {
 		TRACE_MGMT_DBG("Force finishing aborted cmd %p (tag %d)",
diff --git a/scst/include/scst_const.h b/scst/include/scst_const.h
index 1a683e98f..022f0ec77 100644
--- a/scst/include/scst_const.h
+++ b/scst/include/scst_const.h
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ static inline int scst_sense_response_code(const uint8_t *sense)
 #define scst_sense_read_error			MEDIUM_ERROR,    0x11, 0
 
 /* HARDWARE_ERROR is 4 */
-#define scst_sense_hardw_error			HARDWARE_ERROR,  0x44, 0
+#define scst_sense_hardw_error			HARDWARE_ERROR,  0x44, 0 /* non-retriable */
 
 /* ILLEGAL_REQUEST is 5 */
 #define scst_sense_invalid_opcode		ILLEGAL_REQUEST, 0x20, 0
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ static inline int scst_sense_response_code(const uint8_t *sense)
 
 /* ABORTED_COMMAND is 0xb */
 #define scst_sense_aborted_command		ABORTED_COMMAND, 0x00, 0
+#define scst_sense_internal_failure		ABORTED_COMMAND, 0x44, 0 /* retriable */
 
 /* MISCOMPARE is 0xe */
 #define scst_sense_miscompare_error		MISCOMPARE,      0x1D, 0
diff --git a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_disk.c b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_disk.c
index 684aca4ff..555c8c093 100644
--- a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_disk.c
+++ b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_disk.c
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ out:
 	return res;
 
 out_err_restore:
-	scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+	scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 	goto out_restore;
 
 out_error:
diff --git a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_tape.c b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_tape.c
index ec4e85bc8..4aeba2417 100644
--- a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_tape.c
+++ b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_tape.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static int tape_done(struct scst_cmd *cmd)
 			PRINT_ERROR("Sense format 0x%x is not supported",
 				scst_sense_response_code(cmd->sense));
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 			goto out;
 		}
 
diff --git a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_user.c b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_user.c
index 1b48a35e7..d16ee199a 100644
--- a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_user.c
+++ b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_user.c
@@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@ out_unmap:
 	ucmd->data_pages = NULL;
 	res = -EFAULT;
 	if (ucmd->cmd != NULL)
-		scst_set_cmd_error(ucmd->cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+		scst_set_cmd_error(ucmd->cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 	goto out_err;
 }
 
@@ -1376,8 +1376,8 @@ out_inval:
 	res = -EINVAL;
 	goto out_abnormal;
 
-out_hwerr_res_set:
-	scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+out_intern_fail_res_set:
+	scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 
 out_abnormal:
 	scst_set_cmd_abnormal_done_state(cmd);
@@ -1392,7 +1392,7 @@ out_status:
 
 		res = scst_alloc_sense(cmd, 0);
 		if (res != 0)
-			goto out_hwerr_res_set;
+			goto out_intern_fail_res_set;
 
 		sense_len = min_t(int, cmd->sense_buflen, preply->sense_len);
 
@@ -1402,7 +1402,7 @@ out_status:
 		if (rc != 0) {
 			PRINT_ERROR("Failed to copy %d sense's bytes", rc);
 			res = -EFAULT;
-			goto out_hwerr_res_set;
+			goto out_intern_fail_res_set;
 		}
 		cmd->sense_valid_len = sense_len;
 	}
@@ -1494,7 +1494,7 @@ static int dev_user_process_reply_exec(struct scst_user_cmd *ucmd,
 				if (unlikely((ereply->pbuf & ~PAGE_MASK) != 0)) {
 					PRINT_ERROR("Supplied pbuf %llx isn't "
 						"page aligned", ereply->pbuf);
-					goto out_hwerr;
+					goto out_intern_fail;
 				}
 				pages = cmd->sg_cnt;
 			} else
@@ -1539,7 +1539,7 @@ static int dev_user_process_reply_exec(struct scst_user_cmd *ucmd,
 		if (rc != 0) {
 			PRINT_ERROR("Failed to copy %d sense's bytes", rc);
 			res = -EFAULT;
-			goto out_hwerr_res_set;
+			goto out_intern_fail_res_set;
 		}
 		cmd->sense_valid_len = sense_len;
 	}
@@ -1559,16 +1559,16 @@ out_inval:
 		(unsigned long long int)cmd->lun, scst_get_opcode_name(cmd), cmd);
 	PRINT_BUFFER("Invalid exec_reply", reply, sizeof(*reply));
 
-out_hwerr:
+out_intern_fail:
 	res = -EINVAL;
 
-out_hwerr_res_set:
+out_intern_fail_res_set:
 	if (ucmd->background_exec) {
 		ucmd_put(ucmd);
 		goto out;
 	} else {
 		scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				   SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				   SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out_compl;
 	}
 
@@ -2260,7 +2260,7 @@ static void dev_user_unjam_cmd(struct scst_user_cmd *ucmd, int busy,
 				scst_set_busy(ucmd->cmd);
 			else
 				scst_set_cmd_error(ucmd->cmd,
-				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		}
 		scst_set_cmd_abnormal_done_state(ucmd->cmd);
 
@@ -2291,7 +2291,7 @@ static void dev_user_unjam_cmd(struct scst_user_cmd *ucmd, int busy,
 				scst_set_busy(ucmd->cmd);
 			else
 				scst_set_cmd_error(ucmd->cmd,
-				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		}
 
 		ucmd->cmd->scst_cmd_done(ucmd->cmd, SCST_CMD_STATE_DEFAULT,
diff --git a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_vdisk.c b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_vdisk.c
index 4b946d9d4..fc80c6db6 100644
--- a/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_vdisk.c
+++ b/scst/src/dev_handlers/scst_vdisk.c
@@ -4923,7 +4923,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e fileio_exec_read(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 	if (unlikely(length < 0)) {
 		PRINT_ERROR("scst_get_buf_first() failed: %zd", length);
 		scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -4952,7 +4952,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e fileio_exec_read(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 		} else if (unlikely(length < 0)) {
 			PRINT_ERROR("scst_get_buf_next() failed: %zd", length);
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-			    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+			    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 			goto out_set_fs;
 		}
 
@@ -5046,7 +5046,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e fileio_exec_write(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 	if (unlikely(length < 0)) {
 		PRINT_ERROR("scst_get_buf_first() failed: %zd", length);
 		scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -5074,7 +5074,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e fileio_exec_write(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 		} else if (unlikely(length < 0)) {
 			PRINT_ERROR("scst_get_buf_next() failed: %zd", length);
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-			    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+			    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 			goto out_set_fs;
 		}
 
@@ -5883,7 +5883,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e vdev_exec_verify(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 	if (length < 0) {
 		PRINT_ERROR("scst_get_buf_() failed: %zd", length);
 		scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+		    SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 	}
 
 out_free:
@@ -5941,7 +5941,7 @@ static enum compl_status_e vdisk_exec_caw(struct vdisk_cmd_params *p)
 			scst_set_busy(cmd);
 		else
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
diff --git a/scst/src/scst_lib.c b/scst/src/scst_lib.c
index 02504643e..96dd1b35e 100644
--- a/scst/src/scst_lib.c
+++ b/scst/src/scst_lib.c
@@ -5128,7 +5128,7 @@ static void scst_complete_request_sense(struct scst_cmd *req_cmd)
 			PRINT_ERROR("%s", "Unable to get the sense via "
 				"REQUEST SENSE, returning HARDWARE ERROR");
 			scst_set_cmd_error(orig_cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -6657,7 +6657,7 @@ int scst_get_buf_full_sense(struct scst_cmd *cmd, uint8_t **buf)
 			scst_set_busy(cmd);
 		else
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -10680,7 +10680,7 @@ void tm_dbg_release_cmd(struct scst_cmd *cmd)
 				if (((scst_random() % 10) == 5)) {
 					scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
 						SCST_LOAD_SENSE(
-						scst_sense_hardw_error));
+							scst_sense_internal_failure));
 					/* It's completed now */
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/scst/src/scst_pres.c b/scst/src/scst_pres.c
index 9e862bbcf..2f5ecbdbe 100644
--- a/scst/src/scst_pres.c
+++ b/scst/src/scst_pres.c
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ out:
        * the affected initiator.
        */
 		if (cmd != NULL)
-			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 #endif
 	}
 
diff --git a/scst/src/scst_targ.c b/scst/src/scst_targ.c
index 526cf93fb..300b7dc4c 100644
--- a/scst/src/scst_targ.c
+++ b/scst/src/scst_targ.c
@@ -3513,7 +3513,7 @@ static bool scst_check_auto_sense(struct scst_cmd *cmd)
 				"%s)", cmd->host_status, cmd, scst_get_opcode_name(cmd),
 				cmd->tgt->tgt_name, cmd->dev->virt_name);
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -3541,7 +3541,7 @@ static int scst_pre_dev_done(struct scst_cmd *cmd)
 			PRINT_ERROR("%s", "Unable to issue REQUEST SENSE, "
 				    "returning HARDWARE ERROR");
 			scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		}
 		goto out;
 	}
@@ -3577,7 +3577,7 @@ next:
 					"MODE_SENSE buffer");
 				scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
 					SCST_LOAD_SENSE(
-						scst_sense_hardw_error));
+						scst_sense_internal_failure));
 				err = true;
 			} else if (length > 2 && cmd->cdb[0] == MODE_SENSE)
 				address[2] |= 0x80;   /* Write Protect*/
@@ -3618,7 +3618,7 @@ next:
 				PRINT_ERROR("%s", "Unable to get INQUIRY "
 				    "buffer");
 				scst_set_cmd_error(cmd,
-				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+				       SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 				err = true;
 			}
 			if (buflen > 0)
diff --git a/usr/fileio/common.c b/usr/fileio/common.c
index ac98120af..75d09a7d7 100644
--- a/usr/fileio/common.c
+++ b/usr/fileio/common.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ static int do_exec(struct vdisk_cmd *vcmd)
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_SENSE
 	if ((random() % 100000) == 75) {
-		set_cmd_error(vcmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_hardw_error));
+		set_cmd_error(vcmd, SCST_LOAD_SENSE(scst_sense_internal_failure));
 		goto out;
 	}
 #endif