diff --git a/hack/failonceserver/main.go b/hack/failonceserver/main.go
index e45588de..ca7437a3 100644
--- a/hack/failonceserver/main.go
+++ b/hack/failonceserver/main.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"sync"
 )
 
@@ -10,7 +12,9 @@ func main() {
 	var mtx sync.RWMutex
 	paths := map[string]bool{}
 
-	http.ListenAndServe(":8080", http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	http.ListenAndServe(":8082", http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		io.Copy(os.Stdout, r.Body)
+
 		mtx.RLock()
 		shouldSucceed := paths[r.URL.Path]
 		mtx.RUnlock()
diff --git a/hack/retryproxy/main.go b/hack/retryproxy/main.go
index 64534549..c24f6f78 100644
--- a/hack/retryproxy/main.go
+++ b/hack/retryproxy/main.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
@@ -12,52 +13,68 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	http.ListenAndServe(":8080", http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		log.Println("serving")
+
 		body, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(err)
 		}
 		r.Body.Close()
 
-		// go run ./hack/failserver
-		first := newReverseProxy("http://localhost:8081")
+		fmt.Println("body:", string(body))
+
+		backend(r, body, 0).ServeHTTP(w, newRequest(r, body))
+	}))
+
+}
+
+var errRetry = errors.New("retry")
+
+func backend(r *http.Request, body []byte, attempt int) http.Handler {
+	// go run ./hack/failserver
+	proxy := newReverseProxy(getEndpoint(attempt))
 
-		first.ModifyResponse = func(r *http.Response) error {
-			if r.StatusCode == http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
-				// Returning an error will trigger the ErrorHandler.
-				return errRetry
-			}
-			return nil
+	proxy.ModifyResponse = func(r *http.Response) error {
+		if r.StatusCode == http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
+			// Returning an error will trigger the ErrorHandler.
+			return errRetry
 		}
+		return nil
+	}
 
-		first.ErrorHandler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error) {
-			if err == errRetry {
-				log.Println("retrying")
+	proxy.ErrorHandler = func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, err error) {
+		if err == errRetry {
+			log.Println("retrying")
 
-				// Simulate calling the next backend.
-				// go run ./hack/successserver
-				next := newReverseProxy("http://localhost:8082")
-				next.ServeHTTP(w, newReq(r, body))
-				return
-			}
+			// Simulate calling the next backend.
+			// go run ./hack/successserver
+			backend(r, body, attempt+1).ServeHTTP(w, newRequest(r, body))
+			return
 		}
+	}
 
-		log.Println("serving")
-		first.ServeHTTP(w, newReq(r, body))
-	}))
+	return proxy
 }
 
-var errRetry = errors.New("retry")
-
-func newReq(r *http.Request, body []byte) *http.Request {
-	clone := r.Clone(r.Context())
-	clone.Body = io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(body))
-	return clone
+func getEndpoint(attempt int) string {
+	switch attempt {
+	case 0:
+		return "http://localhost:8081"
+	default:
+		return "http://localhost:8082"
+	}
 }
 
-func newReverseProxy(addr string) *httputil.ReverseProxy {
-	u, err := url.Parse(addr)
+func newReverseProxy(host string) *httputil.ReverseProxy {
+	u, err := url.Parse(host)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 	return httputil.NewSingleHostReverseProxy(u)
 }
+
+func newRequest(r *http.Request, body []byte) *http.Request {
+	clone := r.Clone(r.Context())
+	clone.Body = io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(body))
+	return clone
+}