diff --git a/src/include/core.h b/src/include/core.h
index eff2172968..25744e3c0a 100644
--- a/src/include/core.h
+++ b/src/include/core.h
@@ -267,46 +267,26 @@ struct ncclComm {
 #include <errno.h>
 // Check system calls
 #define SYSCHECK(call, name) do { \
-  int ret = -1; \
-  while (ret == -1) { \
-    SYSCHECKVAL(call, name, ret); \
-    if (ret == -1) { \
-      INFO(NCCL_ALL,"Got %s, retrying", strerror(errno));   \
-    }\
-  } \
-} while (0);
+  int retval; \
+  SYSCHECKVAL(call, name, retval); \
+} while (false)
 
 #define SYSCHECKVAL(call, name, retval) do { \
-  retval = call; \
-  if (retval == -1 && errno != EINTR && errno != EWOULDBLOCK && errno != EAGAIN) { \
+  SYSCHECKSYNC(call, name, retval); \
+  if (retval == -1) { \
     WARN("Call to " name " failed : %s", strerror(errno)); \
     return ncclSystemError; \
   } \
-} while (0);
+} while (false)
 
-#define SYSCHECKNTIMES(call, name, times, usec, exptype) do { \
-  int ret = -1; \
-  int count = 0; \
-  while (ret == -1 && count < times) { \
-    SYSCHECKVALEXP(call, name, ret, exptype); \
-    count++; \
-    if (ret == -1) { \
-      usleep(usec); \
-    }\
-  } \
-  if (ret == -1) { \
-    WARN("Call to " name " timeout : %s", strerror(errno)); \
-    return ncclSystemError; \
-  } \
-} while (0);
-
-#define SYSCHECKVALEXP(call, name, retval, exptype) do { \
+#define SYSCHECKSYNC(call, name, retval) do { \
   retval = call; \
-  if (retval == -1 && errno != EINTR && errno != EWOULDBLOCK && errno != EAGAIN && errno != exptype) { \
-    WARN("Call to " name " failed : %s", strerror(errno)); \
-    return ncclSystemError; \
+  if (retval == -1 && (errno == EINTR || errno == EWOULDBLOCK || errno == EAGAIN)) { \
+    INFO(NCCL_ALL,"Call to " name " returned %s, retrying", strerror(errno)); \
+  } else { \
+    break; \
   } \
-} while (0);
+} while(true)
 
 // Propagate errors up
 #define NCCLCHECK(call) do { \
diff --git a/src/include/socket.h b/src/include/socket.h
index 81e1651fa7..0856f9d572 100644
--- a/src/include/socket.h
+++ b/src/include/socket.h
@@ -366,8 +366,19 @@ static ncclResult_t connectAddress(int* fd, union socketAddress* remoteAddr) {
   TRACE(NCCL_INIT|NCCL_NET,"Connecting to socket %s", socketToString(&remoteAddr->sa, line));
 #endif
 
-  SYSCHECKNTIMES(connect(*fd, &remoteAddr->sa, salen), "connect", RETRY_TIMES, SLEEP_INT, ECONNREFUSED);
-  return ncclSuccess;
+  int ret;
+  int retries = 0;
+retry:
+  SYSCHECKSYNC(connect(*fd, &remoteAddr->sa, salen), "connect", ret);
+  if (ret == 0) return ncclSuccess;
+  if (errno == ECONNREFUSED && ++retries < RETRY_TIMES) {
+    INFO(ALL,"Call to connect returned %s, retrying", strerror(errno)); \
+    usleep(SLEEP_INT);
+    goto retry;
+  }
+  char line[1024];
+  WARN("Connect to %s failed : %s", socketToString(&remoteAddr->sa, line), strerror(errno));
+  return ncclSystemError;
 }
 
 #define NCCL_SOCKET_SEND 0