diff --git a/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/sync-worker.es6 b/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/sync-worker.es6
index f75731bfc..1657613ea 100644
--- a/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/sync-worker.es6
+++ b/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/sync-worker.es6
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class SyncWorker {
 
     let reason = "Scheduled"
     if (error != null) {
-      reason = `Sync errored`
+      reason = `Sync errored: ${error.message}`
     } else if (this._interrupted) {
       reason = `Sync interrupted and restarted. Interrupt reason: ${reason}`
     } else if (moreToSync) {
@@ -456,10 +456,7 @@ class SyncWorker {
     const tasks = yield syncbackTaskRunner.getNewSyncbackTasks()
     this._shouldIgnoreInboxFlagUpdates = true
     for (const task of tasks) {
-      const {shouldRetry} = await syncbackTaskRunner.runSyncbackTask(task)
-      if (shouldRetry) {
-        this.syncNow({reason: 'Retrying syncback task', interrupt: true});
-      }
+      await syncbackTaskRunner.runSyncbackTask(task)
       yield  // Yield to allow interruption
     }
     this._shouldIgnoreInboxFlagUpdates = false
diff --git a/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/syncback-task-runner.es6 b/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/syncback-task-runner.es6
index 3af1808f8..86a6d478a 100644
--- a/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/syncback-task-runner.es6
+++ b/packages/local-sync/src/local-sync-worker/syncback-task-runner.es6
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class SyncbackTaskRunner {
     }
     const before = new Date();
     const syncbackRequest = task.syncbackRequestObject();
-    let shouldRetry = false
+    let retryableError = null
 
     this._logger.log(`🔃 📤 ${task.description()}`, syncbackRequest.props)
     try {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class SyncbackTaskRunner {
           provider: this._account.provider,
           errorMessage: error.message,
         })
-        shouldRetry = true
+        retryableError = error
         syncbackRequest.status = "NEW";
         this._logger.warn(`🔃 📤 ${task.description()} Failed with retryable error, retrying in next loop (${after.getTime() - before.getTime()}ms)`, {syncbackRequest: syncbackRequest.toJSON(), error})
       } else {
@@ -196,7 +196,13 @@ class SyncbackTaskRunner {
     } finally {
       await syncbackRequest.save();
     }
-    return {shouldRetry}
+    if (retryableError) {
+      // Throw retryable error to interrupt and restart sync loop
+      // The sync loop will take care of backing off when handling retryable
+      // errors.
+      retryableError.message = `${task.description()} failed with retryable error: ${retryableError.message}`
+      throw retryableError
+    }
   }
 }