diff --git a/src/__tests__/client.ts b/src/__tests__/client.ts
index 05919200..d97051c8 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/client.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/client.ts
@@ -1702,6 +1702,26 @@ describe('reconnecting', () => {
     }, 20);
   });
 
+  it('should allow retrying non-CloseEvent connection problems', async (done) => {
+    let count = 0;
+    createClient({
+      url: 'ws://idontexitst.no',
+      lazy: false,
+      retryAttempts: 1,
+      retryWait: () => Promise.resolve(),
+      onNonLazyError: noop,
+      shouldRetry: () => true,
+      on: {
+        connecting: () => {
+          count++;
+          if (count === 2) {
+            done();
+          }
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it.todo(
     'should attempt reconnecting silently a few times before closing for good',
   );
diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index 728b4e07..2bc66559 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -488,9 +488,7 @@ export function createClient<
       );
     },
     shouldRetry = isLikeCloseEvent,
-    isFatalConnectionProblem = (errOrCloseEvent) =>
-      // non `CloseEvent`s are fatal by default
-      !isLikeCloseEvent(errOrCloseEvent),
+    isFatalConnectionProblem,
     on,
     webSocketImpl,
     /**
@@ -849,7 +847,7 @@ export function createClient<
     if (!shouldRetry(errOrCloseEvent)) throw errOrCloseEvent;
 
     // @deprecated throw fatal connection problems immediately
-    if (isFatalConnectionProblem(errOrCloseEvent)) throw errOrCloseEvent;
+    if (isFatalConnectionProblem?.(errOrCloseEvent)) throw errOrCloseEvent;
 
     // looks good, start retrying
     return (retrying = true);