diff --git a/doc/lightningd-config.5 b/doc/lightningd-config.5
index f26531b34..ba45977dc 100644
--- a/doc/lightningd-config.5
+++ b/doc/lightningd-config.5
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 '\" t
 .\"     Title: lightningd-config
 .\"    Author: [see the "AUTHOR" section]
-.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets vsnapshot <http://docbook.sf.net/>
-.\"      Date: 04/11/2019
+.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.79.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
+.\"      Date: 06/30/2019
 .\"    Manual: \ \&
 .\"    Source: \ \&
 .\"  Language: English
 .\"
-.TH "LIGHTNINGD\-CONFIG" "5" "04/11/2019" "\ \&" "\ \&"
+.TH "LIGHTNINGD\-CONFIG" "5" "06/30/2019" "\ \&" "\ \&"
 .\" -----------------------------------------------------------------
 .\" * Define some portability stuff
 .\" -----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ The bitcoind(1) RPC host to connect to\&.
 The bitcoind(1) RPC port to connect to\&.
 .RE
 .PP
+\fBbitcoin\-retry\-timeout\fR=\fISECONDS\fR
+.RS 4
+Number of seconds to keep trying a bitcoin\-cli(1) command\&. If the command keeps failing after this time, exit with a fatal error\&.
+.RE
+.PP
 \fBrescan\fR=\fIBLOCKS\fR
 .RS 4
 Number of blocks to rescan from the current head, or absolute blockheight if negative\&. This is only needed if something goes badly wrong\&.
diff --git a/doc/lightningd-config.5.txt b/doc/lightningd-config.5.txt
index f40a18a9d..3c081d5f7 100644
--- a/doc/lightningd-config.5.txt
+++ b/doc/lightningd-config.5.txt
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ Bitcoin control options:
 *bitcoin-rpcport*='PORT'::
     The bitcoind(1) RPC port to connect to.
 
+*bitcoin-retry-timeout*='SECONDS'::
+    Number of seconds to keep trying a bitcoin-cli(1) command.
+    If the command keeps failing after this time, exit with a
+    fatal error.
+
 *rescan*='BLOCKS'::
     Number of blocks to rescan from the current head, or absolute blockheight
     if negative. This is only needed if something goes badly wrong.
diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.c b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
index 579a7d092..78f290131 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.c
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
@@ -154,13 +154,17 @@ static void bcli_failure(struct bitcoind *bitcoind,
 		bitcoind->first_error_time = time_mono();
 
 	t = timemono_between(time_mono(), bitcoind->first_error_time);
-	if (time_greater(t, time_from_sec(60)))
-		fatal("%s exited %u (after %u other errors) '%.*s'",
+	if (time_greater(t, time_from_sec(bitcoind->retry_timeout)))
+		fatal("%s exited %u (after %u other errors) '%.*s'; "
+		      "we have been retrying command for "
+		      "--bitcoin-retry-timeout=%"PRIu64" seconds; "
+		      "bitcoind setup or our --bitcoin-* configs broken?",
 		      bcli_args(tmpctx, bcli),
 		      exitstatus,
 		      bitcoind->error_count,
 		      (int)bcli->output_bytes,
-		      bcli->output);
+		      bcli->output,
+		      bitcoind->retry_timeout);
 
 	log_unusual(bitcoind->log,
 		    "%s exited with status %u",
@@ -930,6 +934,7 @@ struct bitcoind *new_bitcoind(const tal_t *ctx,
 	}
 	bitcoind->shutdown = false;
 	bitcoind->error_count = 0;
+	bitcoind->retry_timeout = 60;
 	bitcoind->rpcuser = NULL;
 	bitcoind->rpcpass = NULL;
 	bitcoind->rpcconnect = NULL;
diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.h b/lightningd/bitcoind.h
index 379a56730..0e395f93f 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.h
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.h
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ struct bitcoind {
 	/* Ignore results, we're shutting down. */
 	bool shutdown;
 
+	/* How long to keep trying to contact bitcoind
+	 * before fatally exiting. */
+	u64 retry_timeout;
+
 	/* Passthrough parameters for bitcoin-cli */
 	char *rpcuser, *rpcpass, *rpcconnect, *rpcport;
 };
diff --git a/lightningd/options.c b/lightningd/options.c
index 364fafffc..16558bbd2 100644
--- a/lightningd/options.c
+++ b/lightningd/options.c
@@ -858,6 +858,12 @@ void register_opts(struct lightningd *ld)
 	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-rpcport", opt_set_talstr, NULL,
 			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->rpcport,
 			 "bitcoind RPC port");
+	opt_register_arg("--bitcoin-retry-timeout",
+			 opt_set_u64, opt_show_u64,
+			 &ld->topology->bitcoind->retry_timeout,
+			 "how long to keep trying to contact bitcoind "
+			 "before fatally exiting");
+
 	opt_register_arg("--pid-file=<file>", opt_set_talstr, opt_show_charp,
 			 &ld->pidfile,
 			 "Specify pid file");