diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index 97ceb38264..2a6efe5e9a 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -923,6 +923,7 @@ check_syncprov(
 #define SYNC_ERROR		-101
 #define SYNC_REPOLL		-102
 #define SYNC_PAUSED		-103
+#define SYNC_BUSY		-104
 
 static int
 do_syncrep1(
@@ -937,12 +938,8 @@ do_syncrep1(
 	void	*ssl;
 #endif
 
-	while ( ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_trylock( &si->si_cookieState->cs_refresh_mutex )) {
-		if ( slapd_shutdown )
-			return SYNC_SHUTDOWN;
-		if ( !ldap_pvt_thread_pool_pausecheck( &connection_pool ))
-			ldap_pvt_thread_yield();
-	}
+	if ( ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_trylock( &si->si_cookieState->cs_refresh_mutex ))
+		return SYNC_BUSY;
 
 	si->si_lastconnect = slap_get_time();
 	si->si_refreshDone = 0;
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test050-syncrepl-multiprovider b/tests/scripts/test050-syncrepl-multiprovider
index e8c6982bcf..fffa9f20b1 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/test050-syncrepl-multiprovider
+++ b/tests/scripts/test050-syncrepl-multiprovider
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ PORT=`expr $BASEPORT + $n`
 URI="ldap://${LOCALHOST}:$PORT/"
 echo "olcSyncRepl: rid=00$n provider=$URI binddn=\"cn=config\" bindmethod=simple" >> $TMP
 echo "  credentials=$CONFIGPW searchbase=\"cn=config\" type=refreshAndPersist" >> $TMP
-echo "  retry=\"3 10 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
+echo "  retry=\"1 12 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
 n=`expr $n + 1`
 done
 echo "-" >> $TMP
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ P2=`expr $BASEPORT + $j`
 U2="ldap://${LOCALHOST}:$P2/"
 echo "olcSyncRepl: rid=00$j provider=$U2 binddn=\"cn=config\" bindmethod=simple" >> $TMP
 echo "  credentials=$CONFIGPW searchbase=\"cn=config\" type=refreshAndPersist" >> $TMP
-echo "  retry=\"3 10 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
+echo "  retry=\"1 12 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
 j=`expr $j + 1`
 done
 cat <<EOF >> $TMP
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ URI="ldap://${LOCALHOST}:$PORT/"
 
 echo "olcSyncRepl: rid=01$n provider=$URI binddn=\"$MANAGERDN\" bindmethod=simple" >> $TMP
 echo "  credentials=$PASSWD searchbase=\"$BASEDN\" $SYNCTYPE" >> $TMP
-echo "  retry=\"3 10 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
+echo "  retry=\"1 12 300 5\" timeout=3" >> $TMP
 n=`expr $n + 1`
 done