diff --git a/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/ibc-relayer/3864-handshake-retry.md b/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/ibc-relayer/3864-handshake-retry.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45f5e18c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/ibc-relayer/3864-handshake-retry.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+- Change connection and channel handshake retry strategy
+  to retry at most 10 times (5 times per block max)
+  ([\#3864](https://github.com/informalsystems/hermes/issues/3864))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/relayer/src/channel.rs b/crates/relayer/src/channel.rs
index c0ee15083f..a2075baa78 100644
--- a/crates/relayer/src/channel.rs
+++ b/crates/relayer/src/channel.rs
@@ -47,29 +47,29 @@ pub mod channel_handshake_retry {
     //! for the channel handshake algorithm.
 
     use crate::channel::ChannelError;
-    use crate::util::retry::{clamp_total, ConstantGrowth};
+    use crate::util::retry::{clamp, ConstantGrowth};
     use core::time::Duration;
 
     /// Approximate number of retries per block.
-    const PER_BLOCK_RETRIES: u32 = 10;
+    const PER_BLOCK_RETRIES: u32 = 5;
 
     /// Defines the increment in delay between subsequent retries.
     /// A value of `0` will make the retry delay constant.
-    const DELAY_INCREMENT: u64 = 0;
+    const DELAY_INCREMENT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
 
-    /// Maximum retry delay expressed in number of blocks
-    const BLOCK_NUMBER_DELAY: u32 = 10;
+    /// Maximum number of retries
+    const MAX_RETRIES: u32 = 10;
 
     /// The default retry strategy.
-    /// We retry with a constant backoff strategy. The strategy is parametrized by the
+    /// We retry with a growing backoff strategy. The strategy is parametrized by the
     /// maximum block time expressed as a `Duration`.
-    pub fn default_strategy(max_block_times: Duration) -> impl Iterator<Item = Duration> {
-        let retry_delay = max_block_times / PER_BLOCK_RETRIES;
+    pub fn default_strategy(max_block_time: Duration) -> impl Iterator<Item = Duration> {
+        let retry_delay = max_block_time / PER_BLOCK_RETRIES;
 
-        clamp_total(
-            ConstantGrowth::new(retry_delay, Duration::from_secs(DELAY_INCREMENT)),
-            retry_delay,
-            max_block_times * BLOCK_NUMBER_DELAY,
+        clamp(
+            ConstantGrowth::new(retry_delay, DELAY_INCREMENT),
+            retry_delay + DELAY_INCREMENT * MAX_RETRIES,
+            MAX_RETRIES as usize,
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/relayer/src/connection.rs b/crates/relayer/src/connection.rs
index 5e1ee140be..5b3ce0c084 100644
--- a/crates/relayer/src/connection.rs
+++ b/crates/relayer/src/connection.rs
@@ -42,29 +42,29 @@ mod handshake_retry {
     //! for the connection handshake algorithm.
 
     use crate::connection::ConnectionError;
-    use crate::util::retry::{clamp_total, ConstantGrowth};
+    use crate::util::retry::{clamp, ConstantGrowth};
     use core::time::Duration;
 
     /// Approximate number of retries per block.
-    const PER_BLOCK_RETRIES: u32 = 10;
+    const PER_BLOCK_RETRIES: u32 = 5;
 
     /// Defines the increment in delay between subsequent retries.
     /// A value of `0` will make the retry delay constant.
-    const DELAY_INCREMENT: u64 = 0;
+    const DELAY_INCREMENT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
 
-    /// Maximum retry delay expressed in number of blocks
-    const BLOCK_NUMBER_DELAY: u32 = 10;
+    /// Maximum number of retries
+    const MAX_RETRIES: u32 = 10;
 
     /// The default retry strategy.
-    /// We retry with a constant backoff strategy. The strategy is parametrized by the
+    /// We retry with a growing backoff strategy. The strategy is parametrized by the
     /// maximum block time expressed as a `Duration`.
-    pub fn default_strategy(max_block_times: Duration) -> impl Iterator<Item = Duration> {
-        let retry_delay = max_block_times / PER_BLOCK_RETRIES;
+    pub fn default_strategy(max_block_time: Duration) -> impl Iterator<Item = Duration> {
+        let retry_delay = max_block_time / PER_BLOCK_RETRIES;
 
-        clamp_total(
-            ConstantGrowth::new(retry_delay, Duration::from_secs(DELAY_INCREMENT)),
-            retry_delay,
-            max_block_times * BLOCK_NUMBER_DELAY,
+        clamp(
+            ConstantGrowth::new(retry_delay, DELAY_INCREMENT),
+            retry_delay + DELAY_INCREMENT * MAX_RETRIES,
+            MAX_RETRIES as usize,
         )
     }