diff --git a/src/TypesenseClient/Connection.php b/src/TypesenseClient/Connection.php
index e88fdf5..4c02fff 100644
--- a/src/TypesenseClient/Connection.php
+++ b/src/TypesenseClient/Connection.php
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public function __construct(string $baseUrl, string $apikey)
         $this->logger = new NullLogger();
     }
 
-    public function getClient(): Client
+    public function getClient(int $numRetries = self::TYPESENSE_CLIENT_RETRY_COUNT): Client
     {
         $parsedUrl = parse_url($this->baseUrl);
         if ($parsedUrl === false) {
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public function getClient(): Client
         $symfonyClient = new TraceableHttpClient(HttpClient::create());
         $symfonyClient->setLogger($this->logger);
         $symfonyClient = new RetryableHttpClient(
-            $symfonyClient, null, self::TYPESENSE_CLIENT_RETRY_COUNT,
+            $symfonyClient, null, $numRetries,
             $this->logger);
 
         return new Client(
diff --git a/src/TypesenseClient/SearchIndex.php b/src/TypesenseClient/SearchIndex.php
index 92c9dad..ebc905d 100644
--- a/src/TypesenseClient/SearchIndex.php
+++ b/src/TypesenseClient/SearchIndex.php
@@ -167,7 +167,8 @@ public function setLogger(LoggerInterface $logger): void
 
     public function checkConnection(): void
     {
-        $client = $this->connection->getClient();
+        // Limit retries, so we fail more quickly
+        $client = $this->connection->getClient(3);
         $client->getHealth()->retrieve();
         $client->getMultiSearch()->perform(['searches' => [['q' => 'healthcheck']]]);
     }