diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index e56318c7..2165c1dd 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ Cluster Options:
         --routes <rurl-1, rurl-2>    Routes to solicit and connect
         --cluster <cluster-url>      Cluster URL for solicited routes
         --no_advertise <bool>        Advertise known cluster IPs to clients
+        --conn_retries <number>      For implicit routes, number of connect retries
 
 
 Common Options:
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&opts.Cluster.ListenStr, "cluster", "", "Cluster url from which members can solicit routes.")
 	flag.StringVar(&opts.Cluster.ListenStr, "cluster_listen", "", "Cluster url from which members can solicit routes.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&opts.Cluster.NoAdvertise, "no_advertise", false, "Advertise known cluster IPs to clients.")
+	flag.IntVar(&opts.Cluster.ConnRetries, "conn_retries", 0, "For implicit routes, number of connect retries")
 	flag.BoolVar(&showTLSHelp, "help_tls", false, "TLS help.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&opts.TLS, "tls", false, "Enable TLS.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&opts.TLSVerify, "tlsverify", false, "Enable TLS with client verification.")
diff --git a/server/opts.go b/server/opts.go
index 455d496e..f012a84d 100644
--- a/server/opts.go
+++ b/server/opts.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type ClusterOpts struct {
 	TLSConfig   *tls.Config `json:"-"`
 	ListenStr   string      `json:"-"`
 	NoAdvertise bool        `json:"-"`
+	ConnRetries int         `json:"-"`
 }
 
 // Options block for gnatsd server.
@@ -314,6 +315,8 @@ func parseCluster(cm map[string]interface{}, opts *Options) error {
 			opts.Cluster.TLSTimeout = tc.Timeout
 		case "no_advertise":
 			opts.Cluster.NoAdvertise = mv.(bool)
+		case "conn_retries":
+			opts.Cluster.ConnRetries = int(mv.(int64))
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -647,6 +650,9 @@ func MergeOptions(fileOpts, flagOpts *Options) *Options {
 	if flagOpts.Cluster.NoAdvertise {
 		opts.Cluster.NoAdvertise = true
 	}
+	if flagOpts.Cluster.ConnRetries != 0 {
+		opts.Cluster.ConnRetries = flagOpts.Cluster.ConnRetries
+	}
 	if flagOpts.RoutesStr != "" {
 		mergeRoutes(&opts, flagOpts)
 	}
diff --git a/server/opts_test.go b/server/opts_test.go
index 54ac3c2a..508f3a55 100644
--- a/server/opts_test.go
+++ b/server/opts_test.go
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ func TestMergeOverrides(t *testing.T) {
 		MaxPingsOut:    3,
 		Cluster: ClusterOpts{
 			NoAdvertise: true,
+			ConnRetries: 2,
 		},
 	}
 	fopts, err := ProcessConfigFile("./configs/test.conf")
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ func TestMergeOverrides(t *testing.T) {
 		ProfPort: 6789,
 		Cluster: ClusterOpts{
 			NoAdvertise: true,
+			ConnRetries: 2,
 		},
 	}
 	merged := MergeOptions(fopts, opts)
diff --git a/server/route.go b/server/route.go
index f9e04343..b55ffe0b 100644
--- a/server/route.go
+++ b/server/route.go
@@ -689,18 +689,25 @@ func (s *Server) reConnectToRoute(rURL *url.URL, rtype RouteType) {
 
 func (s *Server) connectToRoute(rURL *url.URL, tryForEver bool) {
 	defer s.grWG.Done()
+	attempts := 0
 	for s.isRunning() && rURL != nil {
 		Debugf("Trying to connect to route on %s", rURL.Host)
 		conn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", rURL.Host, DEFAULT_ROUTE_DIAL)
 		if err != nil {
 			Debugf("Error trying to connect to route: %v", err)
+			if !tryForEver {
+				if s.opts.Cluster.ConnRetries <= 0 {
+					return
+				}
+				attempts++
+				if attempts > s.opts.Cluster.ConnRetries {
+					return
+				}
+			}
 			select {
 			case <-s.rcQuit:
 				return
 			case <-time.After(DEFAULT_ROUTE_CONNECT):
-				if !tryForEver {
-					return
-				}
 				continue
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/test/route_discovery_test.go b/test/route_discovery_test.go
index 64b4434d..8197a638 100644
--- a/test/route_discovery_test.go
+++ b/test/route_discovery_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package test
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -638,3 +639,65 @@ func TestSeedReturnIPInInfo(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected IP %s, got %s", s1, s2)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestImplicitRouteRetry(t *testing.T) {
+	srvSeed, optsSeed := runSeedServer(t)
+	defer srvSeed.Shutdown()
+
+	optsA := nextServerOpts(optsSeed)
+	optsA.Routes = server.RoutesFromStr(fmt.Sprintf("nats://%s:%d", optsSeed.Cluster.Host, optsSeed.Cluster.Port))
+	optsA.Cluster.ConnRetries = 5
+	srvA := RunServer(optsA)
+	defer srvA.Shutdown()
+
+	optsB := nextServerOpts(optsA)
+	rcb := createRouteConn(t, optsSeed.Cluster.Host, optsSeed.Cluster.Port)
+	defer rcb.Close()
+	rcbID := "ServerB"
+	routeBSend, routeBExpect := setupRouteEx(t, rcb, optsB, rcbID)
+	routeBExpect(infoRe)
+	// register ourselves via INFO
+	rbInfo := server.Info{ID: rcbID, Host: optsB.Cluster.Host, Port: optsB.Cluster.Port}
+	b, _ := json.Marshal(rbInfo)
+	infoJSON := fmt.Sprintf(server.InfoProto, b)
+	routeBSend(infoJSON)
+	routeBSend("PING\r\n")
+	routeBExpect(pongRe)
+
+	// srvA should try to connect. Wait to make sure that it fails.
+	time.Sleep(1200 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Setup a fake route listen for routeB
+	rbListen, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", optsB.Cluster.Host, optsB.Cluster.Port))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Error during listen: %v", err)
+	}
+	c, err := rbListen.Accept()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Error during accept: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer c.Close()
+
+	br := bufio.NewReaderSize(c, 32768)
+	// Consume CONNECT and INFO
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		c.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second))
+		buf, _, err := br.ReadLine()
+		c.SetReadDeadline(time.Time{})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Error reading: %v", err)
+		}
+		if i == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		buf = buf[len("INFO "):]
+		info := &server.Info{}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(buf, info); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Error during unmarshal: %v", err)
+		}
+		// Check INFO is from server A.
+		if info.ID != srvA.ID() {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected CONNECT from %v, got CONNECT from %v", srvA.ID(), info.ID)
+		}
+	}
+}