diff --git a/server/schedule/filter/filters.go b/server/schedule/filter/filters.go
index a7fab470e72..d1ca9e4892a 100644
--- a/server/schedule/filter/filters.go
+++ b/server/schedule/filter/filters.go
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ func (f *StoreStateFilter) Source(opts opt.Options, store *core.StoreInfo) bool
 
 // Target returns true when the store can be selected as the schedule
 // target.
-func (f StoreStateFilter) Target(opts opt.Options, store *core.StoreInfo) bool {
+func (f *StoreStateFilter) Target(opts opt.Options, store *core.StoreInfo) bool {
 	if store.IsTombstone() {
 		f.Reason = "tombstone"
 		return false
diff --git a/server/schedulers/balance_leader.go b/server/schedulers/balance_leader.go
index 36d33bdbc97..168378542d1 100644
--- a/server/schedulers/balance_leader.go
+++ b/server/schedulers/balance_leader.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ type balanceLeaderSchedulerConfig struct {
 
 type balanceLeaderScheduler struct {
 	*BaseScheduler
+	*retryQuota
 	conf         *balanceLeaderSchedulerConfig
 	opController *schedule.OperatorController
 	filters      []filter.Filter
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ func newBalanceLeaderScheduler(opController *schedule.OperatorController, conf *
 
 	s := &balanceLeaderScheduler{
 		BaseScheduler: base,
+		retryQuota:    newRetryQuota(balanceLeaderRetryLimit, defaultMinRetryLimit, defaultRetryQuotaAttenuation),
 		conf:          conf,
 		opController:  opController,
 		counter:       balanceLeaderCounter,
@@ -164,12 +166,15 @@ func (l *balanceLeaderScheduler) Schedule(cluster opt.Cluster) []*operator.Opera
 			sourceStoreLabel := strconv.FormatUint(sourceID, 10)
 			sourceAddress := source.GetAddress()
 			l.counter.WithLabelValues("high-score", sourceAddress, sourceStoreLabel).Inc()
-			for j := 0; j < balanceLeaderRetryLimit; j++ {
+			retryLimit := l.retryQuota.GetLimit(source)
+			for j := 0; j < retryLimit; j++ {
 				if ops := l.transferLeaderOut(cluster, source); len(ops) > 0 {
+					l.retryQuota.ResetLimit(source)
 					ops[0].Counters = append(ops[0].Counters, l.counter.WithLabelValues("transfer-out", sourceAddress, sourceStoreLabel))
 					return ops
 				}
 			}
+			l.Attenuate(source)
 			log.Debug("no operator created for selected stores", zap.String("scheduler", l.GetName()), zap.Uint64("source", sourceID))
 		}
 		if i < len(targets) {
@@ -179,16 +184,19 @@ func (l *balanceLeaderScheduler) Schedule(cluster opt.Cluster) []*operator.Opera
 			targetStoreLabel := strconv.FormatUint(targetID, 10)
 			targetAddress := target.GetAddress()
 			l.counter.WithLabelValues("low-score", targetAddress, targetStoreLabel).Inc()
-
-			for j := 0; j < balanceLeaderRetryLimit; j++ {
+			retryLimit := l.retryQuota.GetLimit(target)
+			for j := 0; j < retryLimit; j++ {
 				if ops := l.transferLeaderIn(cluster, target); len(ops) > 0 {
+					l.retryQuota.ResetLimit(target)
 					ops[0].Counters = append(ops[0].Counters, l.counter.WithLabelValues("transfer-in", targetAddress, targetStoreLabel))
 					return ops
 				}
 			}
+			l.Attenuate(target)
 			log.Debug("no operator created for selected stores", zap.String("scheduler", l.GetName()), zap.Uint64("target", targetID))
 		}
 	}
+	l.retryQuota.GC(append(sources, targets...))
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/schedulers/balance_region.go b/server/schedulers/balance_region.go
index 0947b012391..0e29136c88f 100644
--- a/server/schedulers/balance_region.go
+++ b/server/schedulers/balance_region.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ type balanceRegionSchedulerConfig struct {
 
 type balanceRegionScheduler struct {
 	*BaseScheduler
+	*retryQuota
 	conf         *balanceRegionSchedulerConfig
 	opController *schedule.OperatorController
 	filters      []filter.Filter
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ func newBalanceRegionScheduler(opController *schedule.OperatorController, conf *
 	base := NewBaseScheduler(opController)
 	scheduler := &balanceRegionScheduler{
 		BaseScheduler: base,
+		retryQuota:    newRetryQuota(balanceRegionRetryLimit, defaultMinRetryLimit, defaultRetryQuotaAttenuation),
 		conf:          conf,
 		opController:  opController,
 		counter:       balanceRegionCounter,
@@ -148,8 +150,8 @@ func (s *balanceRegionScheduler) Schedule(cluster opt.Cluster) []*operator.Opera
 	})
 	for _, source := range stores {
 		sourceID := source.GetID()
-
-		for i := 0; i < balanceRegionRetryLimit; i++ {
+		retryLimit := s.retryQuota.GetLimit(source)
+		for i := 0; i < retryLimit; i++ {
 			// Priority pick the region that has a pending peer.
 			// Pending region may means the disk is overload, remove the pending region firstly.
 			region := cluster.RandPendingRegion(sourceID, s.conf.Ranges, opt.HealthAllowPending(cluster), opt.ReplicatedRegion(cluster))
@@ -186,11 +188,14 @@ func (s *balanceRegionScheduler) Schedule(cluster opt.Cluster) []*operator.Opera
 
 			oldPeer := region.GetStorePeer(sourceID)
 			if op := s.transferPeer(cluster, region, oldPeer); op != nil {
+				s.retryQuota.ResetLimit(source)
 				op.Counters = append(op.Counters, schedulerCounter.WithLabelValues(s.GetName(), "new-operator"))
 				return []*operator.Operator{op}
 			}
 		}
+		s.retryQuota.Attenuate(source)
 	}
+	s.retryQuota.GC(stores)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/schedulers/utils.go b/server/schedulers/utils.go
index 46ff8ed5040..b0932c577e3 100644
--- a/server/schedulers/utils.go
+++ b/server/schedulers/utils.go
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// adjustRatio is used to adjust TolerantSizeRatio according to region count.
-	adjustRatio             float64 = 0.005
-	leaderTolerantSizeRatio float64 = 5.0
-	minTolerantSizeRatio    float64 = 1.0
+	adjustRatio                  float64 = 0.005
+	leaderTolerantSizeRatio      float64 = 5.0
+	minTolerantSizeRatio         float64 = 1.0
+	defaultMinRetryLimit                 = 1
+	defaultRetryQuotaAttenuation         = 2
 )
 
 func minUint64(a, b uint64) uint64 {
@@ -356,3 +358,53 @@ func (li *storeLoadDetail) toHotPeersStat() *statistics.HotPeersStat {
 		Stats:          peers,
 	}
 }
+
+type retryQuota struct {
+	initialLimit int
+	minLimit     int
+	attenuation  int
+
+	limits map[uint64]int
+}
+
+func newRetryQuota(initialLimit, minLimit, attenuation int) *retryQuota {
+	return &retryQuota{
+		initialLimit: initialLimit,
+		minLimit:     minLimit,
+		attenuation:  attenuation,
+		limits:       make(map[uint64]int),
+	}
+}
+
+func (q *retryQuota) GetLimit(store *core.StoreInfo) int {
+	id := store.GetID()
+	if limit, ok := q.limits[id]; ok {
+		return limit
+	}
+	q.limits[id] = q.initialLimit
+	return q.initialLimit
+}
+
+func (q *retryQuota) ResetLimit(store *core.StoreInfo) {
+	q.limits[store.GetID()] = q.initialLimit
+}
+
+func (q *retryQuota) Attenuate(store *core.StoreInfo) {
+	newLimit := q.GetLimit(store) / q.attenuation
+	if newLimit < q.minLimit {
+		newLimit = q.minLimit
+	}
+	q.limits[store.GetID()] = newLimit
+}
+
+func (q *retryQuota) GC(keepStores []*core.StoreInfo) {
+	set := make(map[uint64]struct{}, len(keepStores))
+	for _, store := range keepStores {
+		set[store.GetID()] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	for id := range q.limits {
+		if _, ok := set[id]; !ok {
+			delete(q.limits, id)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/server/schedulers/utils_test.go b/server/schedulers/utils_test.go
index 49c86b3b782..d379334a86a 100644
--- a/server/schedulers/utils_test.go
+++ b/server/schedulers/utils_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	. "github.com/pingcap/check"
+	"github.com/pingcap/kvproto/pkg/metapb"
+	"github.com/tikv/pd/server/core"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -50,3 +52,35 @@ func (s *testMinMaxSuite) TestMinDuration(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(minDuration(time.Second, time.Minute), Equals, time.Second)
 	c.Assert(minDuration(time.Second, time.Second), Equals, time.Second)
 }
+
+var _ = Suite(&testUtilsSuite{})
+
+type testUtilsSuite struct{}
+
+func (s *testUtilsSuite) TestRetryQuota(c *C) {
+	q := newRetryQuota(10, 1, 2)
+	store1 := core.NewStoreInfo(&metapb.Store{Id: 1})
+	store2 := core.NewStoreInfo(&metapb.Store{Id: 2})
+	keepStores := []*core.StoreInfo{store1}
+
+	// test GetLimit
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store1), Equals, 10)
+
+	// test Attenuate
+	for _, expected := range []int{5, 2, 1, 1, 1} {
+		q.Attenuate(store1)
+		c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store1), Equals, expected)
+	}
+
+	// test GC
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store2), Equals, 10)
+	q.Attenuate(store2)
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store2), Equals, 5)
+	q.GC(keepStores)
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store1), Equals, 1)
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store2), Equals, 10)
+
+	// test ResetLimit
+	q.ResetLimit(store1)
+	c.Assert(q.GetLimit(store1), Equals, 10)
+}