diff --git a/adafruit_requests.py b/adafruit_requests.py
index f10a342..a94db30 100644
--- a/adafruit_requests.py
+++ b/adafruit_requests.py
@@ -569,7 +569,10 @@ def request(
                     result = socket.recv(1)
                 else:
                     result = bytearray(1)
-                    socket.recv_into(result)
+                    try:
+                        socket.recv_into(result)
+                    except OSError:
+                        pass
                 if result == b"H":
                     # Things seem to be ok so break with socket set.
                     break
@@ -577,7 +580,7 @@ def request(
             socket = None
 
         if not socket:
-            raise OutOfRetries()
+            raise OutOfRetries("Repeated socket failures")
 
         resp = Response(socket, self)  # our response
         if "location" in resp.headers and 300 <= resp.status_code <= 399: