diff --git a/broker/src/lss.rs b/broker/src/lss.rs
index 7002f65..1db34ed 100644
--- a/broker/src/lss.rs
+++ b/broker/src/lss.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::conn::{ChannelRequest, LssReq};
-use anyhow::Result;
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
 use lss_connector::{InitResponse, LssBroker, Response, SignerMutations};
 use rocket::tokio;
 use rumqttd::oneshot;
@@ -75,17 +75,17 @@ pub fn lss_tasks(
     let lss_conn_ = lss_conn.clone();
     let init_tx_ = init_tx.clone();
     tokio::task::spawn(async move {
-        while let Some((cid, connected, oneshot_send_tx)) = reconn_rx.recv().await {
+        while let Some((cid, connected, dance_complete_tx)) = reconn_rx.recv().await {
             if connected {
                 log::info!("CLIENT {} reconnected!", cid);
                 if let Err(e) = reconnect_dance(&cid, &lss_conn_, &init_tx_).await {
                     log::error!("reconnect dance failed {:?}", e);
-                    let _ = oneshot_send_tx.send(false);
+                    let _ = dance_complete_tx.send(false);
                 } else {
-                    let _ = oneshot_send_tx.send(true);
+                    let _ = dance_complete_tx.send(true);
                 }
             } else {
-                let _ = oneshot_send_tx.send(false);
+                let _ = dance_complete_tx.send(false);
             }
         }
     });
@@ -97,19 +97,9 @@ async fn reconnect_dance(
     mqtt_tx: &mpsc::Sender<ChannelRequest>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     log::debug!("Reconnect dance started, proceeding with step 1");
-    let ir = loop {
-        if let Ok(ir) = dance_step_1(cid, lss_conn, mqtt_tx).await {
-            break ir;
-        }
-        sleep(2).await;
-    };
+    let ir = dance_step_1(cid, lss_conn, mqtt_tx).await?;
     log::debug!("Step 1 finished, now onto step 2");
-    loop {
-        if let Ok(_) = dance_step_2(cid, lss_conn, mqtt_tx, &ir).await {
-            break;
-        }
-        sleep(2).await;
-    }
+    let _ = dance_step_2(cid, lss_conn, mqtt_tx, &ir).await?;
     log::debug!("Reconnect dance finished!");
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -122,7 +112,10 @@ async fn dance_step_1(
     let init_bytes = lss_conn.make_init_msg().await?;
     log::debug!("starting dance_step_1 send for {}", cid);
     let reply = ChannelRequest::send_for(cid, topics::INIT_1_MSG, init_bytes, mqtt_tx).await?;
-    log::debug!("send for completed");
+    log::debug!("dance_step_1 send for completed");
+    if reply.is_empty() {
+        return Err(anyhow!("dance step 1 did not complete"));
+    }
     let ir = Response::from_slice(&reply)?.into_init()?;
     Ok(ir)
 }
@@ -136,7 +129,10 @@ async fn dance_step_2(
     let state_bytes = lss_conn.get_created_state_msg(ir).await?;
     log::debug!("starting dance_step_2 send for {}", cid);
     let reply2 = ChannelRequest::send_for(cid, topics::INIT_2_MSG, state_bytes, mqtt_tx).await?;
-    log::debug!("send for completed");
+    log::debug!("dance_step_2 send for completed");
+    if reply2.is_empty() {
+        return Err(anyhow!("dance step 2 did not complete"));
+    }
     let cr = Response::from_slice(&reply2)?.into_created()?;
     lss_conn.handle(Response::Created(cr)).await?;
     Ok(())
diff --git a/broker/src/mqtt.rs b/broker/src/mqtt.rs
index 3fdf997..a0ebc2d 100644
--- a/broker/src/mqtt.rs
+++ b/broker/src/mqtt.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ pub fn start_broker(
     // receive replies from LSS initialization
     let _init_task = std::thread::spawn(move || {
         while let Some(msg) = init_receiver.blocking_recv() {
-            pub_and_wait(msg, &conns_, &init_rx, &mut link_tx_);
+            // Retry three times
+            pub_and_wait(msg, &conns_, &init_rx, &mut link_tx_, Some(3));
         }
     });
 
@@ -74,7 +75,14 @@ pub fn start_broker(
     let _relay_task = std::thread::spawn(move || {
         while let Some(msg) = receiver.blocking_recv() {
             log::debug!("Received message here: {:?}", msg);
-            pub_and_wait(msg, &connections, &msg_rx, &mut link_tx);
+            let retries = if msg.topic == topics::CONTROL {
+                // Don't retry
+                Some(0)
+            } else {
+                // Retry indefinitely
+                None
+            };
+            pub_and_wait(msg, &connections, &msg_rx, &mut link_tx, retries);
         }
     });
 
@@ -143,7 +151,9 @@ fn pub_and_wait(
     conns_: &Arc<Mutex<Connections>>,
     msg_rx: &std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<(String, String, Vec<u8>)>,
     link_tx: &mut LinkTx,
+    retries: Option<u8>,
 ) {
+    let mut counter = 0u8;
     loop {
         log::debug!("looping in pub_and_wait");
         let reply = if let Some(cid) = msg.cid.clone() {
@@ -152,11 +162,7 @@ fn pub_and_wait(
             let res_opt = pub_timeout(&cid, &msg.topic, &msg.message, &msg_rx, link_tx);
             log::debug!("client responded!");
             // control topic should be able to fail early without retrying
-            if res_opt.is_none() && msg.topic == topics::CONTROL {
-                Some(ChannelReply::empty())
-            } else {
-                res_opt
-            }
+            res_opt
         } else {
             log::debug!("publishing to all clients");
             let cs = conns_.lock().unwrap();
@@ -186,6 +192,15 @@ fn pub_and_wait(
             }
             break;
         }
+        if let Some(attempt) = retries {
+            if counter == attempt {
+                if let Err(_) = msg.reply_tx.send(ChannelReply::empty()) {
+                    log::warn!("could not send on reply_tx");
+                }
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        counter = counter + 1;
     }
 }