diff --git a/twitter/api.py b/twitter/api.py
index 3a296418..25d55c6f 100644
--- a/twitter/api.py
+++ b/twitter/api.py
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ def _handle_response_with_retry(self, req, uri, arg_data, _timeout=None):
                     print("Service unavailable; waiting for %ds..." % delay, file=sys.stderr)
                 else:
                     raise
-                if isinstance(retry, int):
+                if isinstance(retry, int) and not isinstance(retry, bool):
                     if retry <= 0:
                         raise
                     retry -= 1