diff --git a/pkg/proxy/proxier.go b/pkg/proxy/proxier.go
index 6180b39d1cf..cad3d3af465 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/proxier.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/proxier.go
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ func (si *serviceInfo) setActive(val bool) bool {
 	return tmp
 }
 
-// How long we wait for a connection to a backend.
-const endpointDialTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+// How long we wait for a connection to a backend in seconds
+var endpointDialTimeout = []time.Duration{1, 2, 4, 8}
 
 // Abstraction over TCP/UDP sockets which are proxied.
 type proxySocket interface {
@@ -76,6 +76,26 @@ type tcpProxySocket struct {
 	net.Listener
 }
 
+func tryConnect(service string, srcAddr net.Addr, protocol string, proxier *Proxier) (out net.Conn, err error) {
+	for _, retryTimeout := range endpointDialTimeout {
+		endpoint, err := proxier.loadBalancer.NextEndpoint(service, srcAddr)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("Couldn't find an endpoint for %s %v", service, err)
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		glog.V(3).Infof("Mapped service %q to endpoint %s", service, endpoint)
+		// TODO: This could spin up a new goroutine to make the outbound connection,
+		// and keep accepting inbound traffic.
+		outConn, err := net.DialTimeout(protocol, endpoint, retryTimeout*time.Second)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("Dial failed: %v", err)
+			continue
+		}
+		return outConn, nil
+	}
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to an endpoint.")
+}
+
 func (tcp *tcpProxySocket) ProxyLoop(service string, info *serviceInfo, proxier *Proxier) {
 	for {
 		if !info.isActive() {
@@ -89,19 +109,9 @@ func (tcp *tcpProxySocket) ProxyLoop(service string, info *serviceInfo, proxier
 			continue
 		}
 		glog.V(2).Infof("Accepted TCP connection from %v to %v", inConn.RemoteAddr(), inConn.LocalAddr())
-		endpoint, err := proxier.loadBalancer.NextEndpoint(service, inConn.RemoteAddr())
+		outConn, err := tryConnect(service, inConn.(*net.TCPConn).RemoteAddr(), "tcp", proxier)
 		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Couldn't find an endpoint for %s %v", service, err)
-			inConn.Close()
-			continue
-		}
-		glog.V(3).Infof("Mapped service %q to endpoint %s", service, endpoint)
-		// TODO: This could spin up a new goroutine to make the outbound connection,
-		// and keep accepting inbound traffic.
-		outConn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", endpoint, endpointDialTimeout)
-		if err != nil {
-			// TODO: Try another endpoint?
-			glog.Errorf("Dial failed: %v", err)
+			glog.Errorf("Failed to connect to balancer: %v", err)
 			inConn.Close()
 			continue
 		}
@@ -209,16 +219,9 @@ func (udp *udpProxySocket) getBackendConn(activeClients *clientCache, cliAddr ne
 		// TODO: This could spin up a new goroutine to make the outbound connection,
 		// and keep accepting inbound traffic.
 		glog.V(2).Infof("New UDP connection from %s", cliAddr)
-		endpoint, err := proxier.loadBalancer.NextEndpoint(service, cliAddr)
+		var err error
+		svrConn, err = tryConnect(service, cliAddr, "udp", proxier)
 		if err != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Couldn't find an endpoint for %s %v", service, err)
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		glog.V(3).Infof("Mapped service %q to endpoint %s", service, endpoint)
-		svrConn, err = net.DialTimeout("udp", endpoint, endpointDialTimeout)
-		if err != nil {
-			// TODO: Try another endpoint?
-			glog.Errorf("Dial failed: %v", err)
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		activeClients.clients[cliAddr.String()] = svrConn
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/proxier_test.go b/pkg/proxy/proxier_test.go
index 44d8982f045..2c845e42236 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/proxier_test.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/proxier_test.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util/iptables"
 )
 
@@ -97,6 +98,9 @@ var tcpServerPort string
 var udpServerPort string
 
 func init() {
+	// Don't handle panics
+	util.ReallyCrash = true
+
 	// TCP setup.
 	tcp := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)