diff --git a/jetstream/jsbaseclient_api.ts b/jetstream/jsbaseclient_api.ts
index ef688cb0..3b25327c 100644
--- a/jetstream/jsbaseclient_api.ts
+++ b/jetstream/jsbaseclient_api.ts
@@ -15,13 +15,15 @@
 
 import { Empty } from "../nats-base-client/encoders.ts";
 import { Codec, JSONCodec } from "../nats-base-client/codec.ts";
-import { extend } from "../nats-base-client/util.ts";
+import { backoff, delay, extend } from "../nats-base-client/util.ts";
 import { NatsConnectionImpl } from "../nats-base-client/nats.ts";
 import { checkJsErrorCode } from "./jsutil.ts";
 import {
+  ErrorCode,
   JetStreamOptions,
   Msg,
   NatsConnection,
+  NatsError,
   RequestOptions,
 } from "../nats-base-client/core.ts";
 import { ApiResponse } from "./jsapi_types.ts";
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ export class BaseApiClient {
   async _request(
     subj: string,
     data: unknown = null,
-    opts?: RequestOptions,
+    opts?: Partial<RequestOptions> & { retries?: number },
   ): Promise<unknown> {
     opts = opts || {} as RequestOptions;
     opts.timeout = this.timeout;
@@ -91,12 +93,34 @@ export class BaseApiClient {
       a = this.jc.encode(data);
     }
 
-    const m = await this.nc.request(
-      subj,
-      a,
-      opts,
-    );
-    return this.parseJsResponse(m);
+    let { retries } = opts as {
+      retries: number;
+    };
+
+    retries = retries || 1;
+    retries = retries === -1 ? Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER : retries;
+    const bo = backoff();
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < retries; i++) {
+      try {
+        const m = await this.nc.request(
+          subj,
+          a,
+          opts as RequestOptions,
+        );
+        return this.parseJsResponse(m);
+      } catch (err) {
+        const ne = err as NatsError;
+        if (
+          (ne.code === "503" || ne.code === ErrorCode.Timeout) &&
+          i + 1 < retries
+        ) {
+          await delay(bo.backoff(i));
+        } else {
+          throw err;
+        }
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   async findStream(subject: string): Promise<string> {
diff --git a/jetstream/jsclient.ts b/jetstream/jsclient.ts
index 728c7f51..fea4be6a 100644
--- a/jetstream/jsclient.ts
+++ b/jetstream/jsclient.ts
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ export class JetStreamSubscriptionImpl extends TypedSubscription<JsMsg>
 
     const subj = `${info.api.prefix}.CONSUMER.CREATE.${info.stream}`;
 
-    this.js._request(subj, req)
+    this.js._request(subj, req, { retries: -1 })
       .then((v) => {
         const ci = v as ConsumerInfo;
         this.info!.config = ci.config;