diff --git a/tor/tor.go b/tor/tor.go
index f7c35c9..4a081ef 100644
--- a/tor/tor.go
+++ b/tor/tor.go
@@ -173,11 +173,25 @@ func Start(ctx context.Context, conf *StartConf) (*Tor, error) {
 	if err == nil {
 		err = tor.startProcess(ctx, conf)
 	}
-	time.Sleep(time.Second)
+
+
 	// Connect the controller
 	if err == nil {
-		err = tor.connectController(ctx, conf)
+		for attempts := 0; attempts < 10; attempts++ {
+			err = tor.connectController(ctx, conf)
+			if err == nil {
+				break
+			} else {
+				// backoff and retry
+				// max is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5...+10 = ~55 seconds
+				// After which point there is probably something else very wrong
+				// TODO: It might be worth breaking out the error here so that we can distinguish a
+				// slow socket (on e.g. Android) with a failed setup.
+				time.Sleep(time.Duration(int(time.Second) * attempts))
+			}
+		}
 	}
+
 	// Attempt eager auth w/ no password
 	if err == nil && !conf.DisableEagerAuth {
 		err = tor.Control.Authenticate("")