diff --git a/personal/combine/merge_and_backfill.py b/personal/combine/merge_and_backfill.py
index 4a4b98e..80424d8 100644
--- a/personal/combine/merge_and_backfill.py
+++ b/personal/combine/merge_and_backfill.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def query_pushshift(ids, bearer, object_type, pushshift_token_function):
 				'User-Agent': "In script by /u/Watchful1",
 				'Authorization': f"Bearer {bearer}"}, timeout=15)
 		except (requests.exceptions.ConnectionError, requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout):
-			time.sleep(2)
+			time.sleep(4 * i)
 			continue
 		if response is None:
 			continue
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def query_pushshift(ids, bearer, object_type, pushshift_token_function):
 			log.warning(url)
 			log.warning(f"'Authorization': Bearer {bearer}")
 			bearer = pushshift_token_function(bearer)
-		time.sleep(2)
+		time.sleep(4 * i)
 	if response is None:
 		log.warning(f"4 requests failed with no response")
 		log.warning(url)