diff --git a/packages/sdk/browser/__tests__/BrowserDataManager.test.ts b/packages/sdk/browser/__tests__/BrowserDataManager.test.ts
index 1dfbaa18c..493fc39e1 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/browser/__tests__/BrowserDataManager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/browser/__tests__/BrowserDataManager.test.ts
@@ -527,4 +527,71 @@ describe('given a BrowserDataManager with mocked dependencies', () => {
       '[BrowserDataManager] Identify called after data manager was closed.',
     );
   });
+
+  it('retries initial polling until it succeeds', async () => {
+    jest.useFakeTimers();
+    const context = Context.fromLDContext({ kind: 'user', key: 'test-user' });
+    flagManager.loadCached.mockResolvedValue(false);
+
+    // Mock fetch to fail twice with 500 error, then succeed
+    let callCount = 0;
+    const mockedFetch = jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => {
+      callCount += 1;
+      if (callCount <= 2) {
+        return mockResponse('', 500);
+      }
+      return mockResponse('{"flagA": true}', 200);
+    });
+
+    platform.requests.fetch = mockedFetch as typeof platform.requests.fetch;
+
+    const identifyResolve = jest.fn();
+    const identifyReject = jest.fn();
+
+    const identifyPromise = dataManager.identify(identifyResolve, identifyReject, context);
+
+    // Fast-forward through the retry delays (2 retries * 1000ms each)
+    await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2000);
+
+    await identifyPromise;
+
+    expect(mockedFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(identifyResolve).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(identifyReject).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(flagManager.init).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.anything(),
+      expect.objectContaining({ flagA: { flag: true, version: undefined } }),
+    );
+
+    jest.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('throws an error when initial polling reaches max retry limit', async () => {
+    jest.useFakeTimers();
+    const context = Context.fromLDContext({ kind: 'user', key: 'test-user' });
+    flagManager.loadCached.mockResolvedValue(false);
+
+    // Mock fetch to always fail with 500 error
+    const mockedFetch = jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => mockResponse('', 500));
+
+    platform.requests.fetch = mockedFetch as typeof platform.requests.fetch;
+
+    const identifyResolve = jest.fn();
+    const identifyReject = jest.fn();
+
+    const identifyPromise = dataManager.identify(identifyResolve, identifyReject, context);
+
+    // Fast-forward through the retry delays (4 retries * 1000ms each)
+    await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(4000);
+
+    await identifyPromise;
+
+    // Should attempt initial request + 3 retries = 4 total attempts
+    expect(mockedFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+    expect(identifyResolve).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(identifyReject).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(identifyReject).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ status: 500 }));
+
+    jest.useRealTimers();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/sdk/browser/src/BrowserDataManager.ts b/packages/sdk/browser/src/BrowserDataManager.ts
index c25b3d6a4..466ed6a8e 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/browser/src/BrowserDataManager.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/browser/src/BrowserDataManager.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ import {
   DataSourcePaths,
   DataSourceState,
   FlagManager,
+  httpErrorMessage,
   internal,
   LDEmitter,
   LDHeaders,
   LDIdentifyOptions,
   makeRequestor,
   Platform,
+  shouldRetry,
+  sleep,
 } from '@launchdarkly/js-client-sdk-common';
 
 import { readFlagsFromBootstrap } from './bootstrap';
@@ -102,6 +105,56 @@ export default class BrowserDataManager extends BaseDataManager {
     this._updateStreamingState();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * A helper function for the initial poll request. This is mainly here to facilitate
+   * the retry logic.
+   *
+   * @param context - LDContext to request payload for.
+   * @returns Payload as a string.
+   */
+  private async _requestPayload(context: Context): Promise<string> {
+    const plainContextString = JSON.stringify(Context.toLDContext(context));
+    const pollingRequestor = makeRequestor(
+      plainContextString,
+      this.config.serviceEndpoints,
+      this.getPollingPaths(),
+      this.platform.requests,
+      this.platform.encoding!,
+      this.baseHeaders,
+      [],
+      this.config.withReasons,
+      this.config.useReport,
+      this._secureModeHash,
+    );
+
+    // NOTE: We are currently hardcoding in 3 retries for the initial
+    // poll. We can make this configurable in the future.
+    const maxRetries = 3;
+
+    let lastError: any;
+
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt += 1) {
+      try {
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
+        return await pollingRequestor.requestPayload();
+      } catch (e: any) {
+        if (!shouldRetry(e)) {
+          throw e;
+        }
+        lastError = e;
+        // NOTE: current we are hardcoding the retry interval to 1 second.
+        // We can make this configurable in the future.
+        if (attempt < maxRetries) {
+          this._debugLog(httpErrorMessage(e, 'initial poll request', 'will retry'));
+          // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
+          await sleep(1000);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    throw lastError;
+  }
+
   private async _finishIdentifyFromPoll(
     context: Context,
     identifyResolve: () => void,
@@ -110,21 +163,8 @@ export default class BrowserDataManager extends BaseDataManager {
     try {
       this.dataSourceStatusManager.requestStateUpdate(DataSourceState.Initializing);
 
-      const plainContextString = JSON.stringify(Context.toLDContext(context));
-      const pollingRequestor = makeRequestor(
-        plainContextString,
-        this.config.serviceEndpoints,
-        this.getPollingPaths(),
-        this.platform.requests,
-        this.platform.encoding!,
-        this.baseHeaders,
-        [],
-        this.config.withReasons,
-        this.config.useReport,
-        this._secureModeHash,
-      );
+      const payload = await this._requestPayload(context);
 
-      const payload = await pollingRequestor.requestPayload();
       try {
         const listeners = this.createStreamListeners(context, identifyResolve);
         const putListener = listeners.get('put');