diff --git a/pkg/http/client.go b/pkg/http/client.go
index f8f81f9..7d87725 100644
--- a/pkg/http/client.go
+++ b/pkg/http/client.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type HTTPClient struct {
 	maxRetries         int
 	timeoutSecs        int
 	rateLimitSleepSecs int
-	backoff            func(attempt int) time.Duration
+	backoff            func(int, int) time.Duration
 	dnsCache           cmap.ConcurrentMap[string, string]
 	hosts              []string
 	log                *logutil.Logger
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func NewHTTPClient(
 		client:             &http.Client{},
 		maxRetries:         maxRetries,
 		timeoutSecs:        timeoutSecs,
-		rateLimitSleepSecs: 4,
+		rateLimitSleepSecs: 2,
 		backoff:            backoffFunc,
 		dnsCache:           cmap.New[string](),
 		hosts:              hosts,
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ func (r *HTTPClient) Do(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 		if resp != nil && resp.StatusCode >= http.StatusBadRequest {
 			body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
 			if req.Host == "api.real-debrid.com" {
+				// api servers
 				if body != nil {
 					var errResp ApiErrorResponse
 					jsonErr := json.Unmarshal(body, &errResp)
@@ -173,28 +174,20 @@ func (r *HTTPClient) Do(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 				}
 			} else {
 				// download servers
-				errResp := DownloadErrorResponse{
+				err = &DownloadErrorResponse{
 					Message: resp.Header.Get("X-Error"),
 					Code:    resp.StatusCode,
 				}
-				err = &errResp
 			}
 		}
 
-		incr := r.shouldRetry(req, resp, err, r.rateLimitSleepSecs)
-		if incr > 0 {
-			attempt += incr
-			if attempt > r.maxRetries {
-				err = fmt.Errorf("max retries exceeded: %w", err)
-				break
-			}
-			time.Sleep(r.backoff(attempt))
-		} else if incr == 0 {
-			time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-		} else {
-			// don't retry anymore
+		incr := r.shouldRetry(req, resp, err, attempt, r.rateLimitSleepSecs)
+		if incr == -1 {
 			break
+		} else if incr == 0 {
+			continue
 		}
+		attempt += incr
 	}
 	return resp, err
 }
@@ -247,77 +240,71 @@ func (r *HTTPClient) proxyDialer(proxyURL *url.URL) (proxy.Dialer, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported proxy scheme: %s", proxyURL.Scheme)
 }
 
-func (r *HTTPClient) shouldRetry(req *http.Request, resp *http.Response, err error, rateLimitSleep int) int {
-	if strings.HasSuffix(req.URL.Path, "torrents/addMagnet") {
-		return -1 // don't retry to prevent duplicate torrents
+// shouldRetry returns a number indicating whether the request should be retried
+// -1: don't retry
+// 0: retry indefinitely
+// 1: retry until maxRetries
+func (r *HTTPClient) shouldRetry(req *http.Request, resp *http.Response, err error, attempts, rateLimitSleep int) int {
+	if attempts >= r.maxRetries {
+		return -1
 	}
+
+	// assume that all addMagnet requests are always successful;
+	// don't retry to prevent duplicate torrents
+	if req.Host == "api.real-debrid.com" && strings.HasSuffix(req.URL.Path, "torrents/addMagnet") {
+		return -1
+	}
+
 	if apiErr, ok := err.(*ApiErrorResponse); ok {
 		switch apiErr.Code {
-		case -1: // Internal error
-			return 1
-		case 5: // Slow down (retry infinitely), default: 4 secs
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rateLimitSleep) * time.Second)
-			return 0
-		case 6: // Ressource unreachable
-			return 1
-		case 17: // Hoster in maintenance
-			return 1
-		case 18: // Hoster limit reached
-			return 1
-		case 25: // Service unavailable
-			return 1
-		case 34: // Too many requests (retry infinitely), default: 4 secs
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rateLimitSleep) * time.Second)
+		case 5: // Slow down (retry infinitely)
+		case 34: // Too many requests (retry infinitely)
+			secs := r.backoff(attempts, rateLimitSleep)
+			r.log.Warnf("API rate limit reached, retrying in %d seconds", secs/time.Second)
+			time.Sleep(secs)
 			return 0
 		case 36: // Fair Usage Limit
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rateLimitSleep) * time.Second)
+			secs := r.backoff(attempts, rateLimitSleep)
+			r.log.Warnf("Fair usage limit reached, retrying in %d seconds", secs/time.Second)
+			time.Sleep(secs)
+			return 0
+		case -1: // Internal error
 			return 1
 		default:
-			return -1 // don't retry
+			return -1
 		}
 	} else if downloadErr, ok := err.(*DownloadErrorResponse); ok {
 		switch downloadErr.Message {
 		case "bytes_limit_reached": // 503
 			return -1
 		case "invalid_download_code": // 404
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rateLimitSleep) * time.Second)
+			secs := r.backoff(attempts, rateLimitSleep)
+			r.log.Warnf("Invalid download code, retrying in %d seconds", secs/time.Second)
+			time.Sleep(r.backoff(attempts, rateLimitSleep))
 			return 1
 		default:
 			return 1 // retry
 		}
 	}
-	if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "timeout") {
-		return 1
-	}
+
+	// succesful requests
 	if resp != nil {
-		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusTooManyRequests {
-			// Too many requests: retry infinitely, default: 4 secs
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rateLimitSleep) * time.Second)
-			return 0
-		}
-		if resp.StatusCode >= http.StatusBadRequest && resp.StatusCode < http.StatusInternalServerError {
-			// other client errors: retry
-			return 1
-		}
-		if resp.StatusCode >= http.StatusInternalServerError {
-			// server errors: don't retry
-			return -1
-		}
 		okResponseCode := resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK || resp.StatusCode == http.StatusPartialContent
 		// if the request has a Range header but the server doesn't respond with a Content-Range header
 		hasRangeHeader := req.Header.Get("Range") != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(req.Header.Get("Range"), "bytes=0-")
-		if hasRangeHeader && okResponseCode && resp.Header.Get("Content-Range") == "" {
+		if okResponseCode && hasRangeHeader && resp.Header.Get("Content-Range") == "" {
 			time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 			return 0
 		}
-		return -1 // don't retry
+		return -1
 	}
+
 	return 1
 }
 
-func backoffFunc(attempt int) time.Duration {
+func backoffFunc(attempt, base int) time.Duration {
 	maxDuration := 60
-	backoff := int(math.Pow(2, float64(attempt)))
+	backoff := int(math.Pow(float64(base), float64(attempt+1)))
 	if backoff > maxDuration {
 		backoff = maxDuration
 	}