diff --git a/src/util/crypto_helper_denom.c b/src/util/crypto_helper_denom.c
index f55d2cd82..168699b4e 100644
--- a/src/util/crypto_helper_denom.c
+++ b/src/util/crypto_helper_denom.c
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ TALER_CRYPTO_helper_denom_poll (struct TALER_CRYPTO_DenominationHelper *dh)
 {
   char buf[UINT16_MAX];
   ssize_t ret;
+  unsigned int retry_limit = 10;
   const struct GNUNET_MessageHeader *hdr
     = (const struct GNUNET_MessageHeader *) buf;
   int flag = MSG_DONTWAIT;
@@ -462,11 +463,18 @@ TALER_CRYPTO_helper_denom_poll (struct TALER_CRYPTO_DenominationHelper *dh)
           GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
                       "Restarting connection to RSA helper, did not come up properly\n");
           do_disconnect (dh);
+          if (0 == retry_limit)
+            return; /* give up */
           try_connect (dh);
           if (-1 == dh->sock)
             return; /* give up */
+          retry_limit--;
+          flag = MSG_DONTWAIT;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          flag = 0; /* syscall must be non-blocking this time */
         }
-        flag = 0; /* syscall must be non-blocking this time */
         continue; /* try again */
       }
       GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_WARNING,
@@ -474,7 +482,7 @@ TALER_CRYPTO_helper_denom_poll (struct TALER_CRYPTO_DenominationHelper *dh)
       do_disconnect (dh);
       return;
     }
-
+    retry_limit = 10;
     flag = MSG_DONTWAIT;
     if ( (ret < sizeof (struct GNUNET_MessageHeader)) ||
          (ret != ntohs (hdr->size)) )
diff --git a/src/util/crypto_helper_esign.c b/src/util/crypto_helper_esign.c
index f98faae2c..29891d754 100644
--- a/src/util/crypto_helper_esign.c
+++ b/src/util/crypto_helper_esign.c
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ TALER_CRYPTO_helper_esign_poll (struct TALER_CRYPTO_ExchangeSignHelper *esh)
 {
   char buf[UINT16_MAX];
   ssize_t ret;
+  unsigned int retry_limit = 10;
   const struct GNUNET_MessageHeader *hdr
     = (const struct GNUNET_MessageHeader *) buf;
   int flag = MSG_DONTWAIT;
@@ -417,11 +418,18 @@ TALER_CRYPTO_helper_esign_poll (struct TALER_CRYPTO_ExchangeSignHelper *esh)
           GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
                       "Restarting connection to EdDSA helper, did not come up properly\n");
           do_disconnect (esh);
+          if (0 == retry_limit)
+            return; /* give up */
           try_connect (esh);
           if (-1 == esh->sock)
             return; /* give up */
+          retry_limit--;
+          flag = MSG_DONTWAIT;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          flag = 0; /* syscall must be non-blocking this time */
         }
-        flag = 0; /* syscall must be non-blocking this time */
         continue; /* try again */
       }
       GNUNET_log_strerror (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_WARNING,