diff --git a/pact/pact.py b/pact/pact.py
index 081e35e8c..8b9c96dbc 100644
--- a/pact/pact.py
+++ b/pact/pact.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def _wait_for_server_start(self):
         :raises RuntimeError: If there is a problem starting the mock service.
         """
         s = requests.Session()
-        retries = Retry(total=15, backoff_factor=0.1)
+        retries = Retry(total=9, backoff_factor=0.1)
         s.mount('http://', HTTPAdapter(max_retries=retries))
         resp = s.get(self.uri, headers=self.HEADERS)
         if resp.status_code != 200:
diff --git a/pact/test/test_pact.py b/pact/test/test_pact.py
index 1f9d21700..77bba1b9a 100644
--- a/pact/test/test_pact.py
+++ b/pact/test/test_pact.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ def test_wait_for_server_start_success(self):
             'http://localhost:1234', headers={'X-Pact-Mock-Service': 'true'})
         self.mock_HTTPAdapter.assert_called_once_with(
             max_retries=self.mock_Retry.return_value)
-        self.mock_Retry.assert_called_once_with(total=15, backoff_factor=0.1)
+        self.mock_Retry.assert_called_once_with(total=9, backoff_factor=0.1)
         self.assertFalse(pact._process.communicate.called)
         self.assertFalse(pact._process.terminate.called)
 
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ def test_wait_for_server_start_failure(self):
             'http://localhost:1234', headers={'X-Pact-Mock-Service': 'true'})
         self.mock_HTTPAdapter.assert_called_once_with(
             max_retries=self.mock_Retry.return_value)
-        self.mock_Retry.assert_called_once_with(total=15, backoff_factor=0.1)
+        self.mock_Retry.assert_called_once_with(total=9, backoff_factor=0.1)
         pact._process.communicate.assert_called_once_with()
         pact._process.terminate.assert_called_once_with()