diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/errors.go b/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
index 8551f49cd46..b8ef1c9ab13 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
@@ -24,34 +24,46 @@ import (
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
-// statusError is an error intended for consumption by a REST API server.
-type statusError struct {
-	status api.Status
+// StatusError is an error intended for consumption by a REST API server; it can also be
+// reconstructed by clients from a REST response. Public to allow easy type switches.
+type StatusError struct {
+	ErrStatus api.Status
 }
 
 // Error implements the Error interface.
-func (e *statusError) Error() string {
-	return e.status.Message
+func (e *StatusError) Error() string {
+	return e.ErrStatus.Message
 }
 
-// Status converts this error into an api.Status object.
-func (e *statusError) Status() api.Status {
-	return e.status
+// Status allows access to e's status without having to know the detailed workings
+// of StatusError. Used by pkg/apiserver.
+func (e *StatusError) Status() api.Status {
+	return e.ErrStatus
 }
 
-// FromObject generates an statusError from an api.Status, if that is the type of obj; otherwise,
-// returns an error created by fmt.Errorf.
+// UnexpectedObjectError can be returned by FromObject if it's passed a non-status object.
+type UnexpectedObjectError struct {
+	Object runtime.Object
+}
+
+// Error returns an error message describing 'u'.
+func (u *UnexpectedObjectError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("unexpected object: %v", u.Object)
+}
+
+// FromObject generates an StatusError from an api.Status, if that is the type of obj; otherwise,
+// returns an UnexpecteObjectError.
 func FromObject(obj runtime.Object) error {
 	switch t := obj.(type) {
 	case *api.Status:
-		return &statusError{*t}
+		return &StatusError{*t}
 	}
-	return fmt.Errorf("unexpected object: %v", obj)
+	return &UnexpectedObjectError{obj}
 }
 
 // NewNotFound returns a new error which indicates that the resource of the kind and the name was not found.
 func NewNotFound(kind, name string) error {
-	return &statusError{api.Status{
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
 		Status: api.StatusFailure,
 		Code:   http.StatusNotFound,
 		Reason: api.StatusReasonNotFound,
@@ -65,7 +77,7 @@ func NewNotFound(kind, name string) error {
 
 // NewAlreadyExists returns an error indicating the item requested exists by that identifier.
 func NewAlreadyExists(kind, name string) error {
-	return &statusError{api.Status{
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
 		Status: api.StatusFailure,
 		Code:   http.StatusConflict,
 		Reason: api.StatusReasonAlreadyExists,
@@ -79,7 +91,7 @@ func NewAlreadyExists(kind, name string) error {
 
 // NewConflict returns an error indicating the item can't be updated as provided.
 func NewConflict(kind, name string, err error) error {
-	return &statusError{api.Status{
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
 		Status: api.StatusFailure,
 		Code:   http.StatusConflict,
 		Reason: api.StatusReasonConflict,
@@ -103,7 +115,7 @@ func NewInvalid(kind, name string, errs ValidationErrorList) error {
 			})
 		}
 	}
-	return &statusError{api.Status{
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
 		Status: api.StatusFailure,
 		Code:   422, // RFC 4918: StatusUnprocessableEntity
 		Reason: api.StatusReasonInvalid,
@@ -118,7 +130,7 @@ func NewInvalid(kind, name string, errs ValidationErrorList) error {
 
 // NewBadRequest creates an error that indicates that the request is invalid and can not be processed.
 func NewBadRequest(reason string) error {
-	return &statusError{
+	return &StatusError{
 		api.Status{
 			Status: api.StatusFailure,
 			Code:   http.StatusBadRequest,
@@ -134,7 +146,7 @@ func NewBadRequest(reason string) error {
 
 // NewInternalError returns an error indicating the item is invalid and cannot be processed.
 func NewInternalError(err error) error {
-	return &statusError{api.Status{
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
 		Status: api.StatusFailure,
 		Code:   http.StatusInternalServerError,
 		Reason: api.StatusReasonInternalError,
@@ -172,8 +184,8 @@ func IsBadRequest(err error) bool {
 
 func reasonForError(err error) api.StatusReason {
 	switch t := err.(type) {
-	case *statusError:
-		return t.status.Reason
+	case *StatusError:
+		return t.ErrStatus.Reason
 	}
 	return api.StatusReasonUnknown
 }
diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go b/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
index 54bfee1d681..1e56ef94acc 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func TestNewInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 		vErr, expected := testCase.Err, testCase.Details
 		expected.Causes[0].Message = vErr.Error()
 		err := NewInvalid("kind", "name", ValidationErrorList{vErr})
-		status := err.(*statusError).Status()
+		status := err.(*StatusError).ErrStatus
 		if status.Code != 422 || status.Reason != api.StatusReasonInvalid {
 			t.Errorf("%d: unexpected status: %#v", i, status)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/client/record/event.go b/pkg/client/record/event.go
index e962bdcacd2..c3e52119c0a 100644
--- a/pkg/client/record/event.go
+++ b/pkg/client/record/event.go
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/errors"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
@@ -30,6 +32,8 @@ import (
 
 // EventRecorder knows how to store events (client.Client implements it.)
 // EventRecorder must respect the namespace that will be embedded in 'event'.
+// It is assumed that EventRecorder will return the same sorts of errors as
+// pkg/client's REST client.
 type EventRecorder interface {
 	Create(event *api.Event) (*api.Event, error)
 }
@@ -44,13 +48,39 @@ func StartRecording(recorder EventRecorder, sourceName string) watch.Interface {
 		eventCopy := *event
 		event = &eventCopy
 		event.Source = sourceName
+		try := 0
 		for {
+			try++
 			_, err := recorder.Create(event)
 			if err == nil {
 				break
 			}
-			glog.Errorf("Sleeping: Unable to write event: %v", err)
-			time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
+			// If we can't contact the server, then hold everything while we keep trying.
+			// Otherwise, something about the event is malformed and we should abandon it.
+			giveUp := false
+			switch err.(type) {
+			case *client.RequestConstructionError:
+				// We will construct the request the same next time, so don't keep trying.
+				giveUp = true
+			case *errors.StatusError:
+				// This indicates that the server understood and rejected our request.
+				giveUp = true
+			case *errors.UnexpectedObjectError:
+				// We don't expect this; it implies the server's response didn't match a
+				// known pattern. Go ahead and retry.
+			default:
+				// This case includes actual http transport errors. Go ahead and retry.
+			}
+			if giveUp {
+				glog.Errorf("Unable to write event '%#v': '%v' (will not retry!)", event, err)
+				break
+			}
+			if try >= 3 {
+				glog.Errorf("Unable to write event '%#v': '%v' (retry limit exceeded!)", event, err)
+				break
+			}
+			glog.Errorf("Unable to write event: '%v' (will retry in 1 second)", err)
+			time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 		}
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/client/record/event_test.go b/pkg/client/record/event_test.go
index 84d08fcfbef..32e3b637e55 100644
--- a/pkg/client/record/event_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/record/event_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/errors"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/client/record"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
@@ -158,3 +160,81 @@ func TestEventf(t *testing.T) {
 		logger2.Stop()
 	}
 }
+
+func TestWriteEventError(t *testing.T) {
+	ref := &api.ObjectReference{
+		Kind:       "Pod",
+		Name:       "foo",
+		Namespace:  "baz",
+		UID:        "bar",
+		APIVersion: "v1beta1",
+	}
+	type entry struct {
+		timesToSendError int
+		attemptsMade     int
+		attemptsWanted   int
+		err              error
+	}
+	table := map[string]*entry{
+		"giveUp1": {
+			timesToSendError: 1000,
+			attemptsWanted:   1,
+			err:              &client.RequestConstructionError{},
+		},
+		"giveUp2": {
+			timesToSendError: 1000,
+			attemptsWanted:   1,
+			err:              &errors.StatusError{},
+		},
+		"retry1": {
+			timesToSendError: 1000,
+			attemptsWanted:   3,
+			err:              &errors.UnexpectedObjectError{},
+		},
+		"retry2": {
+			timesToSendError: 1000,
+			attemptsWanted:   3,
+			err:              fmt.Errorf("A weird error"),
+		},
+		"succeedEventually": {
+			timesToSendError: 2,
+			attemptsWanted:   2,
+			err:              fmt.Errorf("A weird error"),
+		},
+	}
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+
+	defer record.StartRecording(
+		&testEventRecorder{
+			OnEvent: func(event *api.Event) (*api.Event, error) {
+				if event.Message == "finished" {
+					close(done)
+					return event, nil
+				}
+				item, ok := table[event.Message]
+				if !ok {
+					t.Errorf("Unexpected event: %#v", event)
+					return event, nil
+				}
+				item.attemptsMade++
+				if item.attemptsMade < item.timesToSendError {
+					return nil, item.err
+				}
+				return event, nil
+			},
+		},
+		"eventTest",
+	).Stop()
+
+	for caseName := range table {
+		record.Event(ref, "Status", "Reason", caseName)
+	}
+	record.Event(ref, "Status", "Reason", "finished")
+	<-done
+
+	for caseName, item := range table {
+		if e, a := item.attemptsWanted, item.attemptsMade; e != a {
+			t.Errorf("case %v: wanted %v, got %v attempts", caseName, e, a)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/client/request.go b/pkg/client/request.go
index 84fe5a62487..ce99ce99d3a 100644
--- a/pkg/client/request.go
+++ b/pkg/client/request.go
@@ -51,6 +51,29 @@ type HTTPClient interface {
 	Do(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error)
 }
 
+// UnexpectedStatusError is returned as an error if a response's body and HTTP code don't
+// make sense together.
+type UnexpectedStatusError struct {
+	Request  *http.Request
+	Response *http.Response
+	Body     string
+}
+
+// Error returns a textual description of 'u'.
+func (u *UnexpectedStatusError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("request [%#v] failed (%d) %s: %s", u.Request, u.Response.StatusCode, u.Response.Status, u.Body)
+}
+
+// RequestConstructionError is returned when there's an error assembling a request.
+type RequestConstructionError struct {
+	Err error
+}
+
+// Error returns a textual description of 'r'.
+func (r *RequestConstructionError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("request construction error: '%v'", r.Err)
+}
+
 // Request allows for building up a request to a server in a chained fashion.
 // Any errors are stored until the end of your call, so you only have to
 // check once.
@@ -310,6 +333,13 @@ func (r *Request) Stream() (io.ReadCloser, error) {
 
 // Do formats and executes the request. Returns a Result object for easy response
 // processing. Handles polling the server in the event a continuation was sent.
+//
+// Error type:
+//  * If the request can't be constructed, or an error happened earlier while building its
+//    arguments: *RequestConstructionError
+//  * If the server responds with a status: *errors.StatusError or *errors.UnexpectedObjectError
+//  * If the status code and body don't make sense together: *UnexpectedStatusError
+//  * http.Client.Do errors are returned directly.
 func (r *Request) Do() Result {
 	client := r.client
 	if client == nil {
@@ -318,12 +348,12 @@ func (r *Request) Do() Result {
 
 	for {
 		if r.err != nil {
-			return Result{err: r.err}
+			return Result{err: &RequestConstructionError{r.err}}
 		}
 
 		req, err := http.NewRequest(r.verb, r.finalURL(), r.body)
 		if err != nil {
-			return Result{err: err}
+			return Result{err: &RequestConstructionError{err}}
 		}
 
 		resp, err := client.Do(req)
@@ -381,7 +411,11 @@ func (r *Request) transformResponse(resp *http.Response, req *http.Request) ([]b
 	switch {
 	case resp.StatusCode < http.StatusOK || resp.StatusCode > http.StatusPartialContent:
 		if !isStatusResponse {
-			return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("request [%#v] failed (%d) %s: %s", req, resp.StatusCode, resp.Status, string(body))
+			return nil, false, &UnexpectedStatusError{
+				Request:  req,
+				Response: resp,
+				Body:     string(body),
+			}
 		}
 		return nil, false, errors.FromObject(&status)
 	}
@@ -435,6 +469,7 @@ func (r Result) WasCreated(wasCreated *bool) Result {
 }
 
 // Error returns the error executing the request, nil if no error occurred.
+// See the Request.Do() comment for what errors you might get.
 func (r Result) Error() error {
 	return r.err
 }