diff --git a/anki/sync.py b/anki/sync.py
index ec2f84384..d85306338 100644
--- a/anki/sync.py
+++ b/anki/sync.py
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ from hooks import runHook
 import anki
 
 # syncing vars
-httplib2.RETRIES = 0
 HTTP_TIMEOUT = 90
 HTTP_PROXY = None
 
+# badly named; means no retries, and doesn't affect ssl connections
+httplib2.RETRIES = 1
+
 try:
     # httplib2 >=0.7.7
     _proxy_info_from_environment = httplib2.proxy_info_from_environment