diff --git a/http/download.go b/http/download.go
index 6ac38343..57a4d189 100644
--- a/http/download.go
+++ b/http/download.go
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ func (downloader *downloaderImpl) DownloadWithChecksum(ctx context.Context, url
 
 	var temppath string
 	maxTries := downloader.maxTries
+	const delayBase = 1
+	const delayMultiplier = 2
+	delay := time.Duration(delayBase * time.Second)
 	for maxTries > 0 {
 		temppath, err = downloader.download(req, url, destination, expected, ignoreMismatch)
 
@@ -188,6 +191,9 @@ func (downloader *downloaderImpl) DownloadWithChecksum(ctx context.Context, url
 					downloader.progress.Printf("Error downloading %s: %s retrying...\n", url, err)
 				}
 				maxTries--
+				time.Sleep(delay)
+				// Sleep exponentially at the next retry
+				delay *= delayMultiplier
 			} else {
 				if downloader.progress != nil {
 					downloader.progress.Printf("Error downloading %s: %s cannot retry...\n", url, err)