diff --git a/admin.go b/admin.go
index b04102e2f..03b5438be 100644
--- a/admin.go
+++ b/admin.go
@@ -207,10 +207,10 @@ func isErrNoController(err error) bool {
 // provided retryable func) up to the maximum number of tries permitted by
 // the admin client configuration
 func (ca *clusterAdmin) retryOnError(retryable func(error) bool, fn func() error) error {
-	for attemptsRemaining := ca.conf.Admin.Retry.Max; ; {
+	for attemptsRemaining := ca.conf.Admin.Retry.Max + 1; ; {
 		err := fn()
 		attemptsRemaining--
-		if err == nil || attemptsRemaining == 0 || !retryable(err) {
+		if err == nil || attemptsRemaining <= 0 || !retryable(err) {
 			return err
 		}
 		Logger.Printf(
diff --git a/admin_test.go b/admin_test.go
index ea7519935..0728091bd 100644
--- a/admin_test.go
+++ b/admin_test.go
@@ -1852,11 +1852,11 @@ func Test_retryOnError(t *testing.T) {
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Errorf("expected error but was nil")
 		}
-		if attempts != 3 {
-			t.Errorf("expected 3 attempts to have been made but was %d", attempts)
+		if attempts != 4 {
+			t.Errorf("expected 4 attempts to have been made but was %d", attempts)
 		}
-		if time.Since(startTime) >= 3*testBackoffTime {
-			t.Errorf("attempt+sleep+attempt+sleep+attempt should take less than 3 * backoff time")
+		if time.Since(startTime) >= 4*testBackoffTime {
+			t.Errorf("attempt+sleep+retry+sleep+retry+sleep+retry should take less than 4 * backoff time")
 		}
 	})
 }