diff --git a/client/backoff.go b/client/backoff.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f92fdbd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/backoff.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package client
+
+import (
+	"math"
+	"time"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+type BackoffFunc func(ctx context.Context, req Request, attempts int) (time.Duration, error)
+
+// exponential backoff
+func exponentialBackoff(ctx context.Context, req Request, attempts int) (time.Duration, error) {
+	if attempts == 0 {
+		return time.Duration(0), nil
+	}
+	return time.Duration(math.Pow(10, float64(attempts))) * time.Millisecond, nil
+}
diff --git a/client/backoff_test.go b/client/backoff_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70cb40f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/backoff_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package client
+
+import (
+	"math"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+)
+
+func TestBackoff(t *testing.T) {
+	delta := time.Duration(0)
+
+	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+		d, err := exponentialBackoff(context.TODO(), NewJsonRequest("test", "test", nil), i)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if d < delta {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected greater than %v, got %v", delta, d)
+		}
+
+		delta = time.Millisecond * time.Duration(math.Pow(10, float64(i+1)))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 1993e8c2..39c26e60 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ type RequestOption func(*RequestOptions)
 var (
 	DefaultClient Client = newRpcClient()
 
+	DefaultBackoff        = exponentialBackoff
 	DefaultRetries        = 1
 	DefaultRequestTimeout = time.Second * 5
 )
diff --git a/client/options.go b/client/options.go
index 9d310943..28a4e9c4 100644
--- a/client/options.go
+++ b/client/options.go
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ type Options struct {
 type CallOptions struct {
 	SelectOptions []selector.SelectOption
 
+	// Backoff func
+	Backoff BackoffFunc
 	// Transport Dial Timeout
 	DialTimeout time.Duration
 	// Number of Call attempts
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ func newOptions(options ...Option) Options {
 	opts := Options{
 		Codecs: make(map[string]codec.NewCodec),
 		CallOptions: CallOptions{
+			Backoff:        DefaultBackoff,
 			Retries:        DefaultRetries,
 			RequestTimeout: DefaultRequestTimeout,
 			DialTimeout:    transport.DefaultDialTimeout,
@@ -151,6 +154,14 @@ func Wrap(w Wrapper) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// Backoff is used to set the backoff function used
+// when retrying Calls
+func Backoff(fn BackoffFunc) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.CallOptions.Backoff = fn
+	}
+}
+
 // Number of retries when making the request.
 // Should this be a Call Option?
 func Retries(i int) Option {
@@ -182,6 +193,14 @@ func WithSelectOption(so selector.SelectOption) CallOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithBackoff is a CallOption which overrides that which
+// set in Options.CallOptions
+func WithBackoff(fn BackoffFunc) CallOption {
+	return func(o *CallOptions) {
+		o.Backoff = fn
+	}
+}
+
 // WithRetries is a CallOption which overrides that which
 // set in Options.CallOptions
 func WithRetries(i int) CallOption {
diff --git a/client/rpc_client.go b/client/rpc_client.go
index d51dfc2f..0bce57fb 100644
--- a/client/rpc_client.go
+++ b/client/rpc_client.go
@@ -203,6 +203,17 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Call(ctx context.Context, request Request, response interfac
 	var grr error
 
 	for i := 0; i < callOpts.Retries; i++ {
+		// call backoff first. Someone may want an initial start delay
+		t, err := callOpts.Backoff(ctx, request, i)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
+		}
+
+		// only sleep if greater than 0
+		if t.Seconds() > 0 {
+			time.Sleep(t)
+		}
+
 		node, err := next()
 		if err != nil && err == selector.ErrNotFound {
 			return errors.NotFound("go.micro.client", err.Error())
@@ -257,6 +268,17 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Stream(ctx context.Context, request Request, opts ...CallOpt
 	var grr error
 
 	for i := 0; i < callOpts.Retries; i++ {
+		// call backoff first. Someone may want an initial start delay
+		t, err := callOpts.Backoff(ctx, request, i)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
+		}
+
+		// only sleep if greater than 0
+		if t.Seconds() > 0 {
+			time.Sleep(t)
+		}
+
 		node, err := next()
 		if err != nil && err == selector.ErrNotFound {
 			return nil, errors.NotFound("go.micro.client", err.Error())