diff --git a/mininet.py b/mininet.py
index 3704a7232d144e00ba51f20f36a3c3faf0cad0f3..60780bd0278ef17ce71ed2988cb82382580368e3 100755
--- a/mininet.py
+++ b/mininet.py
@@ -357,11 +357,11 @@ def moveIntf( intf, node ):
 def retry( n, fn, *args):
    "Try something N times before giving up."
    tries = 0
-   while not apply( fn, args ) and tries < 3:
+   while not apply( fn, args ) and tries < n:
       sleep( 1 )
       print "*** retrying..."; flush()
       tries += 1
-   if tries > 3: exit( 1 )
+   if tries >= n: exit( 1 )
    
 def createLink( node1, node2 ):
    "Create a link node1-intf1 <---> node2-intf2."