diff --git a/bots/zephyr_mirror_backend.py b/bots/zephyr_mirror_backend.py
index e98194c..76efc0e 100755
--- a/bots/zephyr_mirror_backend.py
+++ b/bots/zephyr_mirror_backend.py
@@ -34,6 +34,37 @@ import signal
 import logging
 import hashlib
 import tempfile
+import random
+
+class CountingBackoff(object):
+    def __init__(self, maximum_retries=10):
+        self.number_of_retries = 0
+        self.maximum_retries = maximum_retries
+
+    def keep_going(self):
+        return self.number_of_retries < self.maximum_retries
+
+    def succeed(self):
+        self.number_of_retries = 0
+
+    def fail(self):
+        self.number_of_retries = min(self.number_of_retries + 1,
+                                     self.maximum_retries)
+
+class RandomExponentialBackoff(CountingBackoff):
+    def fail(self):
+        self.number_of_retries = min(self.number_of_retries + 1,
+                                     self.maximum_retries)
+        # Exponential growth with ratio sqrt(2); compute random delay
+        # between x and 2x where x is growing exponentially
+        delay_scale = int(2 ** (self.number_of_retries / 2.0 - 1)) + 1
+        delay = delay_scale + random.randint(1, delay_scale)
+        message = "Sleeping for %ss [max %s] before retrying." % (delay, delay_scale * 2)
+        try:
+            logger.warning(message)
+        except NameError:
+            print message
+        time.sleep(delay)
 
 DEFAULT_SITE = "https://humbughq.com"
 
@@ -199,18 +230,21 @@ def update_subscriptions():
     if len(classes_to_subscribe) > 0:
         zephyr_bulk_subscribe(list(classes_to_subscribe))
 
+def maybe_kill_child():
+    try:
+        if child_pid is not None:
+            os.kill(child_pid, signal.SIGTERM)
+    except OSError:
+        # We don't care if the child process no longer exists, so just log the error
+        logger.exception("")
+
 def maybe_restart_mirroring_script():
     if os.stat(os.path.join(options.root_path, "stamps", "restart_stamp")).st_mtime > start_time or \
             ((options.user == "tabbott" or options.user == "tabbott/extra") and
              os.stat(os.path.join(options.root_path, "stamps", "tabbott_stamp")).st_mtime > start_time):
         logger.warning("")
         logger.warning("zephyr mirroring script has been updated; restarting...")
-        try:
-            if child_pid is not None:
-                os.kill(child_pid, signal.SIGTERM)
-        except OSError:
-            # We don't care if the child process no longer exists, so just log the error
-            logger.exception("")
+        maybe_kill_child()
         try:
             zephyr._z.cancelSubs()
         except IOError:
@@ -358,18 +392,43 @@ def decode_unicode_byte_strings(zeph):
             zeph[field] = decoded
     return zeph
 
+def quit_failed_initialization(message):
+    logger.error(message)
+    maybe_kill_child()
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+def zephyr_init_autoretry():
+    backoff = RandomExponentialBackoff()
+    while backoff.keep_going():
+        try:
+            # zephyr.init() tries to clear old subscriptions, and thus
+            # sometimes gets a SERVNAK from the server
+            zephyr.init()
+            backoff.succeed()
+            return
+        except IOError:
+            logger.exception("Error initializing Zephyr library (retrying).  Traceback:")
+            backoff.fail()
+
+    quit_failed_initialization("Could not initialize Zephyr library, quitting!")
+
 def zephyr_subscribe_autoretry(sub):
-    while True:
+    backoff = RandomExponentialBackoff()
+    while backoff.keep_going():
         try:
             zephyr.Subscriptions().add(sub)
+            backoff.succeed()
             return
         except IOError:
             # Probably a SERVNAK from the zephyr server, but log the
             # traceback just in case it's something else
             logger.exception("Error subscribing to personals (retrying).  Traceback:")
-            time.sleep(1)
+            backoff.fail()
+
+    quit_failed_initialization("Could not subscribe to personals, quitting!")
 
 def zephyr_to_humbug(options):
+    zephyr_init_autoretry()
     if options.forward_class_messages:
         update_subscriptions()
     if options.forward_personals:
@@ -404,7 +463,7 @@ def zephyr_to_humbug(options):
                     logger.exception("Could not send saved zephyr:")
                     time.sleep(2)
 
-    logger.info("Starting receive loop.")
+    logger.info("Successfully initialized; Starting receive loop.")
 
     if options.log_path is not None:
         with open(options.log_path, 'a') as log:
@@ -898,15 +957,6 @@ or specify the --api-key-file option.""" % (options.api_key_file,))))
     CURRENT_STATE = States.ZephyrToHumbug
 
     import zephyr
-    while True:
-        try:
-            # zephyr.init() tries to clear old subscriptions, and thus
-            # sometimes gets a SERVNAK from the server
-            zephyr.init()
-            break
-        except IOError:
-            logger.exception("")
-            time.sleep(1)
     logger_name = "zephyr=>humbug"
     if options.shard is not None:
         logger_name += "(%s)" % (options.shard,)