diff --git a/metrics.go b/metrics.go
index 04a426a..94eb178 100644
--- a/metrics.go
+++ b/metrics.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"sync"
@@ -66,6 +67,9 @@ type metrics struct {
 	closed   chan struct{}
 	ctx      context.Context
 	cancel   func()
+	maxSkips float64
+	errors   float64
+	skips    float64
 }
 
 func newMetrics(options metricsOptions, channels metricsChannels) *metrics {
@@ -75,6 +79,9 @@ func newMetrics(options metricsOptions, channels metricsChannels) *metrics {
 		started:         time.Now(),
 		close:           make(chan struct{}),
 		closed:          make(chan struct{}),
+		maxSkips:        10,
+		errors:          0,
+		skips:           0,
 	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	m.ctx = ctx
@@ -111,7 +118,11 @@ func (m *metrics) sync() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-m.ticker.C:
-			m.sendMetrics()
+			if m.skips == 0 {
+				m.sendMetrics()
+			} else {
+				m.decrementSkip()
+			}
 		case <-m.close:
 			close(m.closed)
 			return
@@ -136,7 +147,24 @@ func (m *metrics) registerInstance() {
 
 	m.registered <- payload
 }
+func (m *metrics) backoff() {
+	m.errors = math.Min(m.maxSkips, m.errors+1)
+	m.skips = m.errors
+}
+
+func (m *metrics) configurationError() {
+	m.errors = m.maxSkips
+	m.skips = m.errors
+}
 
+func (m *metrics) successfulPost() {
+	m.errors = math.Max(0, m.errors-1)
+	m.skips = m.errors
+}
+
+func (m *metrics) decrementSkip() {
+	m.skips = math.Max(0, m.skips-1)
+}
 func (m *metrics) sendMetrics() {
 	m.bucketMu.Lock()
 	bucket := m.resetBucket()
@@ -160,6 +188,11 @@ func (m *metrics) sendMetrics() {
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode < http.StatusOK || resp.StatusCode > http.StatusMultipleChoices {
+		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusUnauthorized || resp.StatusCode == http.StatusForbidden || resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
+			m.configurationError()
+		} else if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusTooManyRequests || resp.StatusCode >= http.StatusInternalServerError {
+			m.backoff()
+		}
 		m.warn(fmt.Errorf("%s return %d", u.String(), resp.StatusCode))
 		// The post failed, re-add the metrics we attempted to send so
 		// they are included in the next post.
@@ -174,6 +207,7 @@ func (m *metrics) sendMetrics() {
 		m.bucket.Start = bucket.Start
 		m.bucketMu.Unlock()
 	} else {
+		m.successfulPost()
 		m.sent <- payload
 	}
 }
diff --git a/metrics_test.go b/metrics_test.go
index 689d6c5..82fca5d 100644
--- a/metrics_test.go
+++ b/metrics_test.go
@@ -328,14 +328,101 @@ func TestMetrics_ShouldNotCountMetricsForParentToggles(t *testing.T) {
 		WithInstanceId(mockInstanceId),
 		WithListener(mockListener),
 	)
-
+	assert.Nil(err, "client should not return an error")
 	client.WaitForReady()
 	client.IsEnabled("child")
 
 	assert.EqualValues(client.metrics.bucket.Toggles["child"].Yes, 1)
 	assert.EqualValues(client.metrics.bucket.Toggles["parent"].Yes, 0)
-	client.Close()
+	err = client.Close()
 
 	assert.Nil(err, "client should not return an error")
 	assert.True(gock.IsDone(), "there should be no more mocks")
 }
+
+func TestMetrics_ShouldBackoffOn500(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+	defer gock.OffAll()
+
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Post("/client/register").
+		Reply(200)
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Post("/client/metrics").
+		Persist().
+		Reply(500)
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Get("/client/features").
+		Reply(200).
+		JSON(api.FeatureResponse{})
+	mockListener := &MockedListener{}
+	mockListener.On("OnReady").Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnRegistered", mock.AnythingOfType("ClientData")).Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnCount", "foo", false).Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnCount", "bar", false).Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnCount", "baz", false).Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnWarning", mock.MatchedBy(func(e error) bool {
+		return strings.HasSuffix(e.Error(), "http://foo.com/client/metrics return 500")
+	})).Return()
+	mockListener.On("OnError", mock.Anything).Return()
+
+	client, err := NewClient(
+		WithUrl(mockerServer),
+		WithMetricsInterval(50*time.Millisecond),
+		WithAppName(mockAppName),
+		WithInstanceId(mockInstanceId),
+		WithListener(mockListener),
+	)
+	assert.Nil(err, "client should not return an error")
+
+	client.WaitForReady()
+	client.IsEnabled("foo")
+	client.IsEnabled("bar")
+	client.IsEnabled("baz")
+
+	time.Sleep(320 * time.Millisecond)
+	err = client.Close()
+	assert.Equal(float64(3), client.metrics.errors)
+	assert.Nil(err, "Client should close without a problem")
+
+}
+
+func TestMetrics_ErrorCountShouldDecreaseIfSuccessful(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+	defer gock.OffAll()
+
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Post("/client/register").
+		Reply(200)
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Post("/client/metrics").
+		Times(2).
+		Reply(500)
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Get("/client/features").
+		Reply(200).
+		JSON(api.FeatureResponse{})
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Post("/client/metrics").
+		Persist().
+		Reply(200)
+
+	client, err := NewClient(
+		WithUrl(mockerServer),
+		WithMetricsInterval(50*time.Millisecond),
+		WithAppName(mockAppName),
+		WithInstanceId(mockInstanceId),
+	)
+	assert.Nil(err, "client should not return an error")
+
+	client.WaitForReady()
+	client.IsEnabled("foo")
+	client.IsEnabled("bar")
+	client.IsEnabled("baz")
+	time.Sleep(360 * time.Millisecond)
+	client.IsEnabled("foo")
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	err = client.Close()
+	assert.Equal(float64(0), client.metrics.errors)
+	assert.Nil(err, "Client should close without a problem")
+}
diff --git a/repository.go b/repository.go
index 31e915f..7921f38 100644
--- a/repository.go
+++ b/repository.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"sync"
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ type repository struct {
 	isReady       bool
 	refreshTicker *time.Ticker
 	segments      map[int][]api.Constraint
+	errors        float64
+	maxSkips      float64
+	skips         float64
 }
 
 func newRepository(options repositoryOptions, channels repositoryChannels) *repository {
@@ -36,6 +40,9 @@ func newRepository(options repositoryOptions, channels repositoryChannels) *repo
 		closed:             make(chan struct{}),
 		refreshTicker:      time.NewTicker(options.refreshInterval),
 		segments:           map[int][]api.Constraint{},
+		errors:             0,
+		maxSkips:           10,
+		skips:              0,
 	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	repo.ctx = ctx
@@ -80,11 +87,33 @@ func (r *repository) sync() {
 			close(r.closed)
 			return
 		case <-r.refreshTicker.C:
-			r.fetchAndReportError()
+			if r.skips == 0 {
+				r.fetchAndReportError()
+			} else {
+				r.decrementSkips()
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+func (r *repository) backoff() {
+	r.errors = math.Min(r.maxSkips, r.errors+1)
+	r.skips = r.errors
+}
+
+func (r *repository) successfulFetch() {
+	r.errors = math.Max(0, r.errors-1)
+	r.skips = r.errors
+}
+
+func (r *repository) decrementSkips() {
+	r.skips = math.Max(0, r.skips-1)
+}
+func (r *repository) configurationError() {
+	r.errors = r.maxSkips
+	r.skips = r.errors
+}
+
 func (r *repository) fetch() error {
 	u, _ := r.options.url.Parse(getFetchURLPath(r.options.projectName))
 
@@ -119,7 +148,7 @@ func (r *repository) fetch() error {
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotModified {
 		return nil
 	}
-	if err := statusIsOK(resp); err != nil {
+	if err := r.statusIsOK(resp); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -133,14 +162,21 @@ func (r *repository) fetch() error {
 	r.etag = resp.Header.Get("Etag")
 	r.segments = featureResp.SegmentsMap()
 	r.options.storage.Reset(featureResp.FeatureMap(), true)
+	r.successfulFetch()
 	r.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }
 
-func statusIsOK(resp *http.Response) error {
+func (r *repository) statusIsOK(resp *http.Response) error {
 	s := resp.StatusCode
-	if 200 <= s && s < 300 {
+	if http.StatusOK <= s && s < http.StatusMultipleChoices {
 		return nil
+	} else if s == http.StatusUnauthorized || s == http.StatusForbidden || s == http.StatusNotFound {
+		r.configurationError()
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s %s returned status code %d your SDK is most likely misconfigured, backing off to maximum (%f times our interval)", resp.Request.Method, resp.Request.URL, s, r.maxSkips)
+	} else if s == http.StatusTooManyRequests || s >= http.StatusInternalServerError {
+		r.backoff()
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s %s returned status code %d, backing off (%f times our interval)", resp.Request.Method, resp.Request.URL, s, r.errors)
 	}
 
 	return fmt.Errorf("%s %s returned status code %d", resp.Request.Method, resp.Request.URL, s)
diff --git a/repository_test.go b/repository_test.go
index dcdbaeb..2854730 100644
--- a/repository_test.go
+++ b/repository_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package unleash
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"gopkg.in/h2non/gock.v1"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"strings"
@@ -127,3 +128,62 @@ func TestRepository_ParseAPIResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(2, len(response.Features))
 	assert.Equal(0, len(response.Segments))
 }
+
+
+func TestRepository_backs_off_on_http_statuses(t *testing.T) {
+	a := assert.New(t)
+	testCases := []struct {
+		statusCode int
+		errorCount float64
+	}{
+		{ 401, 10},
+		{ 403, 10},
+		{ 404, 10},
+		{ 429, 1},
+		{ 500, 1},
+		{ 502, 1},
+		{ 503, 1},
+	}
+	defer gock.Off()
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		gock.New(mockerServer).
+			Get("/client/features").
+			Reply(tc.statusCode)
+		client, err := NewClient(
+			WithUrl(mockerServer),
+			WithAppName(mockAppName),
+			WithDisableMetrics(true),
+			WithInstanceId(mockInstanceId),
+			WithRefreshInterval(time.Millisecond * 15),
+		)
+		a.Nil(err)
+		time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+		err = client.Close()
+		a.Equal(tc.errorCount, client.repository.errors)
+		a.Nil(err)
+	}
+}
+func TestRepository_back_offs_are_gradually_reduced_on_success(t *testing.T) {
+	a := assert.New(t)
+	defer gock.Off()
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+	    Get("/client/features").
+	    Times(4).
+		Reply(429)
+	gock.New(mockerServer).
+		Get("/client/features").
+		Reply(200).
+		BodyString(`{ "version": 2, "features": []}`)
+	client, err := NewClient(
+		WithUrl(mockerServer),
+		WithAppName(mockAppName),
+		WithDisableMetrics(true),
+		WithInstanceId(mockInstanceId),
+		WithRefreshInterval(time.Millisecond * 10),
+	)
+	a.Nil(err)
+	client.WaitForReady()
+	err = client.Close()
+	a.Equal(float64(3), client.repository.errors) // 4 failures, and then one success, should reduce error count to 3
+	a.Nil(err)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec_test.go b/spec_test.go
index 3355c77..cfe55fb 100644
--- a/spec_test.go
+++ b/spec_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+//go:build norace
 // +build norace
 
 package unleash
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index d79d3d5..7021925 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func every(slice interface{}, condition func(interface{}) bool) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if (sliceValue.Len() == 0) {
+	if sliceValue.Len() == 0 {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/utils_test.go b/utils_test.go
index 204269b..58bca64 100644
--- a/utils_test.go
+++ b/utils_test.go
@@ -116,4 +116,3 @@ func TestContains(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 }
-