diff --git a/src/api/views.py b/src/api/views.py
index 85ae021c9..b3c371494 100644
--- a/src/api/views.py
+++ b/src/api/views.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
 
 from registrar.templatetags.url_helpers import public_site_url
 from registrar.utility.errors import GenericError, GenericErrorCodes
+# comment out after testing
+from epplibwrapper.errors import RegistryError
 
 import requests
 
@@ -67,6 +69,9 @@ def check_domain_available(domain):
     a match. If check fails, throws a RegistryError.
     """
     Domain = apps.get_model("registrar.Domain")
+    # TODO: remove this block it is used for testing on dev sandbox to verify error retry
+    if "bad" in domain:
+        raise RegistryError("Forced Registry Error from bad domain")
     if domain.endswith(".gov"):
         return Domain.available(domain)
     else:
diff --git a/src/epplibwrapper/client.py b/src/epplibwrapper/client.py
index cfb41f4ea..5693b6993 100644
--- a/src/epplibwrapper/client.py
+++ b/src/epplibwrapper/client.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ except ImportError:
 from django.conf import settings
 
 from .cert import Cert, Key
-from .errors import LoginError, RegistryError
+from .errors import ErrorCode, LoginError, RegistryError
 from .socket import Socket
 from .utility.pool import EPPConnectionPool
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class EPPLibWrapper:
         except TransportError as err:
             message = f"{cmd_type} failed to execute due to a connection error."
             logger.error(f"{message} Error: {err}", exc_info=True)
-            raise RegistryError(message) from err
+            raise RegistryError(message, code=ErrorCode.TRANSPORT_ERROR) from err
         except LoginError as err:
             # For linter due to it not liking this line length
             text = "failed to execute due to a registry login error."
@@ -159,11 +159,15 @@ class EPPLibWrapper:
                 self.start_connection_pool()
 
         counter = 0  # we'll try 3 times
+        logger.info("Counter set to: ", counter)
         while True:
             try:
+                logger.info("Trying self._send(command)")
                 return self._send(command)
             except RegistryError as err:
-                if err.should_retry() and counter < 3:
+                logger.info("Exception found")
+                if counter < 3 and (err.should_retry() or err.is_transport_error()):
+                    logger.info("Retrying transport error. Attempt #", counter)
                     counter += 1
                     sleep((counter * 50) / 1000)  # sleep 50 ms to 150 ms
                 else:  # don't try again
diff --git a/src/epplibwrapper/errors.py b/src/epplibwrapper/errors.py
index d34ed5e91..2b7bdd255 100644
--- a/src/epplibwrapper/errors.py
+++ b/src/epplibwrapper/errors.py
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@ from enum import IntEnum
 class ErrorCode(IntEnum):
     """
     Overview of registry response codes from RFC 5730. See RFC 5730 for full text.
-
+        - 0 System connection error
         - 1000 - 1500 Success
         - 2000 - 2308 Registrar did something silly
         - 2400 - 2500 Registry did something silly
         - 2501 - 2502 Something malicious or abusive may have occurred
     """
 
+    TRANSPORT_ERROR = 0
+
     COMMAND_COMPLETED_SUCCESSFULLY = 1000
     COMMAND_COMPLETED_SUCCESSFULLY_ACTION_PENDING = 1001
     COMMAND_COMPLETED_SUCCESSFULLY_NO_MESSAGES = 1300
@@ -67,6 +69,9 @@ class RegistryError(Exception):
     def should_retry(self):
         return self.code == ErrorCode.COMMAND_FAILED
 
+    def is_transport_error(self):
+        return self.code == ErrorCode.TRANSPORT_ERROR
+
     # connection errors have error code of None and [Errno 99] in the err message
     def is_connection_error(self):
         return self.code is None
diff --git a/src/epplibwrapper/tests/test_pool.py b/src/epplibwrapper/tests/test_pool.py
index 1c36d26da..ab4323ff3 100644
--- a/src/epplibwrapper/tests/test_pool.py
+++ b/src/epplibwrapper/tests/test_pool.py
@@ -246,3 +246,7 @@ class TestConnectionPool(TestCase):
                 expected = "InfoDomain failed to execute due to a connection error."
                 result = registry.send(commands.InfoDomain(name="test.gov"), cleaned=True)
                 self.assertEqual(result, expected)
+
+    @patch.object(EPPLibWrapper, "_test_registry_connection_success", patch_success)
+    def test_retries_on_transport_error(self):
+        """A .send is invoked on the pool, but [description for transport error]."""