diff --git a/httpclient/client.go b/httpclient/client.go
index d4c818c..612e13c 100644
--- a/httpclient/client.go
+++ b/httpclient/client.go
@@ -145,6 +145,26 @@ outter:
 			response.Body.Close()
 		}
 
+		// Wait before retrying.
+		if i > 0 {
+			backoffTime := c.retrier.NextInterval(i - 1)
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), backoffTime)
+
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				cancel()
+
+			case <-request.Context().Done():
+				cancel()
+
+				multiErr.Push(request.Context().Err().Error())
+				c.reportError(request, request.Context().Err())
+
+				// If the request context has already been cancelled, don't retry
+				break outter
+			}
+		}
+
 		c.reportRequestStart(request)
 		var err error
 		response, err = c.client.Do(request)
@@ -166,23 +186,6 @@ outter:
 			multiErr = &valkyrie.MultiError{}
 			break
 		}
-
-		backoffTime := c.retrier.NextInterval(i)
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), backoffTime)
-
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			cancel()
-
-		case <-request.Context().Done():
-			cancel()
-
-			multiErr.Push(request.Context().Err().Error())
-			c.reportError(request, request.Context().Err())
-
-			// If the request context has already been cancelled, don't retry
-			break outter
-		}
 	}
 
 	return response, multiErr.HasError()
diff --git a/httpclient/client_test.go b/httpclient/client_test.go
index e5f32ef..0e01dba 100644
--- a/httpclient/client_test.go
+++ b/httpclient/client_test.go
@@ -465,6 +465,7 @@ func TestHTTPClientDontRetryWhenContextIsCancelled(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 
 				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 				w.Write([]byte(`{ "response": "something went wrong" }`))
 			}
 
diff --git a/httpclient/options_test.go b/httpclient/options_test.go
index b92ce71..2e93673 100644
--- a/httpclient/options_test.go
+++ b/httpclient/options_test.go
@@ -128,6 +128,5 @@ func ExampleWithRetrier() {
 	// Output: retry attempt 0
 	// retry attempt 1
 	// retry attempt 2
-	// retry attempt 3
 	// error
 }