diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index ddb589a4..ad0e5a7a 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ import (
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
+const (
+	dialRetryIntervalSeconds = 3
+	echoRetryIntervalSeconds = 1
+)
+
 // Client defines an interface for an ABCI client.
 // All `Async` methods return a `ReqRes` object.
 // All `Sync` methods return the appropriate protobuf ResponseXxx struct and an error.
diff --git a/client/grpc_client.go b/client/grpc_client.go
index 6079c90c..f65d27e6 100644
--- a/client/grpc_client.go
+++ b/client/grpc_client.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ RETRY_LOOP:
 				return err
 			}
 			cli.Logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("abci.grpcClient failed to connect to %v.  Retrying...\n", cli.addr))
-			time.Sleep(time.Second * 3)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * dialRetryIntervalSeconds)
 			continue RETRY_LOOP
 		}
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ RETRY_LOOP:
 			if err == nil {
 				break ENSURE_CONNECTED
 			}
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * echoRetryIntervalSeconds)
 		}
 
 		cli.client = client
diff --git a/client/socket_client.go b/client/socket_client.go
index 7e5a1f30..a5d90dbe 100644
--- a/client/socket_client.go
+++ b/client/socket_client.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ RETRY_LOOP:
 				return err
 			}
 			cli.Logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("abci.socketClient failed to connect to %v.  Retrying...", cli.addr))
-			time.Sleep(time.Second * 3)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * dialRetryIntervalSeconds)
 			continue RETRY_LOOP
 		}
 		cli.conn = conn