diff --git a/UnleashClient/__init__.py b/UnleashClient/__init__.py
index 89bf9fb2..1aac98d4 100644
--- a/UnleashClient/__init__.py
+++ b/UnleashClient/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from apscheduler.triggers.interval import IntervalTrigger
 
 from UnleashClient.api import register_client
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.constants import (
     DISABLED_VARIATION,
     ETAG,
@@ -45,6 +46,14 @@
 INSTANCES = InstanceCounter()
 
 
+class BackoffStrategies:
+    def __init__(
+        self, refresh_strategy=BackoffStrategy(), metrics_strategy=BackoffStrategy()
+    ):
+        self.refresh_strategy = refresh_strategy
+        self.metrics_strategy = metrics_strategy
+
+
 # pylint: disable=dangerous-default-value
 class UnleashClient:
     """
@@ -55,6 +64,7 @@ class UnleashClient:
     :param environment: Name of the environment using the unleash client, optional & defaults to "default".
     :param instance_id: Unique identifier for unleash client instance, optional & defaults to "unleash-client-python"
     :param refresh_interval: Provisioning refresh interval in seconds, optional & defaults to 15 seconds
+    :param backoff_strategies: Encapsulates 2 backoff strategies for refresh and metrics, optional & defaults BackoffStrategy for both
     :params request_timeout: Timeout for requests to unleash server in seconds, optional & defaults to 30 seconds
     :params request_retries: Number of retries for requests to unleash server, optional & defaults to 3
     :param refresh_jitter: Provisioning refresh interval jitter in seconds, optional & defaults to None
@@ -99,6 +109,7 @@ def __init__(
         scheduler_executor: Optional[str] = None,
         multiple_instance_mode: InstanceAllowType = InstanceAllowType.WARN,
         event_callback: Optional[Callable[[UnleashEvent], None]] = None,
+        backoff_strategies: BackoffStrategies = BackoffStrategies(),
     ) -> None:
         custom_headers = custom_headers or {}
         custom_options = custom_options or {}
@@ -110,6 +121,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.unleash_environment = environment
         self.unleash_instance_id = instance_id
         self.unleash_refresh_interval = refresh_interval
+        self.unleash_refresh_backoff = backoff_strategies.refresh_strategy
         self.unleash_request_timeout = request_timeout
         self.unleash_request_retries = request_retries
         self.unleash_refresh_jitter = (
@@ -119,6 +131,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.unleash_metrics_jitter = (
             int(metrics_jitter) if metrics_jitter is not None else None
         )
+        self.unleash_metrics_backoff = backoff_strategies.metrics_strategy
         self.unleash_disable_metrics = disable_metrics
         self.unleash_disable_registration = disable_registration
         self.unleash_custom_headers = custom_headers
@@ -237,6 +250,7 @@ def initialize_client(self, fetch_toggles: bool = True) -> None:
                     "features": self.features,
                     "cache": self.cache,
                     "request_timeout": self.unleash_request_timeout,
+                    "backoff_strategy": self.unleash_metrics_backoff,
                 }
 
                 # Register app
@@ -265,6 +279,7 @@ def initialize_client(self, fetch_toggles: bool = True) -> None:
                         "request_timeout": self.unleash_request_timeout,
                         "request_retries": self.unleash_request_retries,
                         "project": self.unleash_project_name,
+                        "backoff_strategy": self.unleash_refresh_backoff,
                     }
                     job_func: Callable = fetch_and_load_features
                 else:
diff --git a/UnleashClient/api/backoff.py b/UnleashClient/api/backoff.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2ccf7ce4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UnleashClient/api/backoff.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from UnleashClient.utils import LOGGER
+
+
+class BackoffStrategy:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.failures = 0
+        self.skips = 0
+        self.max_skips = 10
+        self.normal_interval_seconds = 5
+        self.longest_acceptable_interval_seconds = 60 * 60 * 24 * 7  # 1 week
+        self.initialized = (
+            False  # Consider not initialized until we have a successful call to the API
+        )
+
+    def handle_response(self, url: str, status_code: int):
+        if self.initialized and status_code in [401, 403, 404]:
+            self.skips = self.max_skips
+            self.failures += 1
+            LOGGER.error(
+                f"Server said that the endpoint at {url} does not exist. Backing off to {self.skips} times our poll interval (of {self.normal_interval_seconds} seconds) to avoid overloading server"
+                if status_code == 404
+                else f"Client was not authorized to talk to the Unleash API at {url}. Backing off to {self.skips} times our poll interval (of {self.normal_interval_seconds} seconds) to avoid overloading server"
+            )
+
+        elif self.initialized and status_code == 429:
+            self.failures += 1
+            self.skips = min(self.max_skips, self.failures)
+            LOGGER.info(
+                f"RATE LIMITED for the {self.failures} time. Further backing off. Current backoff at {self.skips} times our interval (of {self.normal_interval_seconds} seconds)"
+            )
+        elif self.initialized and status_code > 500:
+            self.failures += 1
+            self.skips = min(self.max_skips, self.failures)
+            LOGGER.info(
+                f"Server failed with a {status_code} status code. Backing off. Current backoff at {self.skips} times our poll interval (of {self.normal_interval_seconds} seconds)"
+            )
+
+        else:
+            # successful response
+            self.initialized = True
+            if self.failures > 0:
+                self.failures -= 1
+                self.skips = max(0, self.failures)
+
+    def performAction(self):
+        return self.skips <= 0
+
+    def skipped(self):
+        self.skips -= 1
diff --git a/UnleashClient/api/features.py b/UnleashClient/api/features.py
index 210c2d6b..268e04c8 100644
--- a/UnleashClient/api/features.py
+++ b/UnleashClient/api/features.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from requests.adapters import HTTPAdapter
 from urllib3 import Retry
 
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.constants import FEATURES_URL
 from UnleashClient.utils import LOGGER, log_resp_info
 
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ def get_feature_toggles(
     request_retries: int,
     project: Optional[str] = None,
     cached_etag: str = "",
+    backoff_strategy: Optional[BackoffStrategy] = None,
 ) -> Tuple[dict, str]:
     """
     Retrieves feature flags from unleash central server.
@@ -36,9 +38,17 @@ def get_feature_toggles(
     :param request_retries:
     :param project:
     :param cached_etag:
+    :param backoff_strategy:
     :return: (Feature flags, etag) if successful, ({},'') if not
     """
     try:
+        backoff_strategy = (
+            backoff_strategy or BackoffStrategy()
+        )  # TODO creating it here doesn't make sense
+        if not backoff_strategy.performAction():
+            backoff_strategy.skipped()
+            return {}, ""
+
         LOGGER.info("Getting feature flag.")
 
         headers = {"UNLEASH-APPNAME": app_name, "UNLEASH-INSTANCEID": instance_id}
@@ -66,6 +76,7 @@ def get_feature_toggles(
                 **custom_options,
             )
 
+        backoff_strategy.handle_response(base_url, resp.status_code)
         if resp.status_code not in [200, 304]:
             log_resp_info(resp)
             LOGGER.warning(
diff --git a/UnleashClient/api/metrics.py b/UnleashClient/api/metrics.py
index 0b35dcc9..4eda6c8f 100644
--- a/UnleashClient/api/metrics.py
+++ b/UnleashClient/api/metrics.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import requests
 
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.constants import APPLICATION_HEADERS, METRICS_URL
 from UnleashClient.utils import LOGGER, log_resp_info
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ def send_metrics(
     custom_headers: dict,
     custom_options: dict,
     request_timeout: int,
+    backoff_strategy: BackoffStrategy,
 ) -> bool:
     """
     Attempts to send metrics to Unleash server
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ def send_metrics(
             **custom_options,
         )
 
+        backoff_strategy.handle_response(url + METRICS_URL, resp.status_code)
         if resp.status_code != 202:
             log_resp_info(resp)
             LOGGER.warning("Unleash CLient metrics submission failed.")
diff --git a/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/fetch_and_load.py b/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/fetch_and_load.py
index b9d9acfc..d8ef3888 100644
--- a/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/fetch_and_load.py
+++ b/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/fetch_and_load.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from typing import Optional
 
 from UnleashClient.api import get_feature_toggles
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.cache import BaseCache
 from UnleashClient.constants import ETAG, FEATURES_URL
 from UnleashClient.loader import load_features
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ def fetch_and_load_features(
     request_timeout: int,
     request_retries: int,
     project: Optional[str] = None,
+    backoff_strategy: Optional[BackoffStrategy] = BackoffStrategy(),
 ) -> None:
     (feature_provisioning, etag) = get_feature_toggles(
         url,
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ def fetch_and_load_features(
         request_retries,
         project,
         cache.get(ETAG),
+        backoff_strategy,
     )
 
     if feature_provisioning:
diff --git a/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/send_metrics.py b/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/send_metrics.py
index 3df7ec7d..bd1bbb7f 100644
--- a/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/send_metrics.py
+++ b/UnleashClient/periodic_tasks/send_metrics.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 from collections import ChainMap
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from typing import Optional
 
 from UnleashClient.api import send_metrics
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.cache import BaseCache
 from UnleashClient.constants import METRIC_LAST_SENT_TIME
 from UnleashClient.utils import LOGGER
@@ -16,8 +18,15 @@ def aggregate_and_send_metrics(
     features: dict,
     cache: BaseCache,
     request_timeout: int,
+    backoff_strategy: Optional[BackoffStrategy] = None,
 ) -> None:
     feature_stats_list = []
+    backoff_strategy = (
+        backoff_strategy or BackoffStrategy()
+    )  # TODO creating it here doesn't make sense
+    if not backoff_strategy.performAction():
+        backoff_strategy.skipped()
+        return {}, ""
 
     for feature_name in features.keys():
         if not (features[feature_name].yes_count or features[feature_name].no_count):
@@ -46,8 +55,14 @@ def aggregate_and_send_metrics(
 
     if feature_stats_list:
         send_metrics(
-            url, metrics_request, custom_headers, custom_options, request_timeout
+            url,
+            metrics_request,
+            custom_headers,
+            custom_options,
+            request_timeout,
+            backoff_strategy,
         )
+        # TODO should we do if send_metrics then update cache? We're also updating in the case of an exception
         cache.set(METRIC_LAST_SENT_TIME, datetime.now(timezone.utc))
     else:
         LOGGER.debug("No feature flags with metrics, skipping metrics submission.")
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/api/test_metrics.py b/tests/unit_tests/api/test_metrics.py
index 2e3d3567..f368f911 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/api/test_metrics.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/api/test_metrics.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     URL,
 )
 from UnleashClient.api import send_metrics
+from UnleashClient.api.backoff import BackoffStrategy
 from UnleashClient.constants import METRICS_URL
 
 FULL_METRICS_URL = URL + METRICS_URL
@@ -33,7 +34,12 @@ def test_send_metrics(payload, status, expected):
     responses.add(responses.POST, FULL_METRICS_URL, **payload, status=status)
 
     result = send_metrics(
-        URL, MOCK_METRICS_REQUEST, CUSTOM_HEADERS, CUSTOM_OPTIONS, REQUEST_TIMEOUT
+        URL,
+        MOCK_METRICS_REQUEST,
+        CUSTOM_HEADERS,
+        CUSTOM_OPTIONS,
+        REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+        BackoffStrategy(),
     )
 
     assert len(responses.calls) == 1