diff --git a/testutil/retry/retry.go b/testutil/retry/retry.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ff3d6b344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testutil/retry/retry.go
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+// Package retry provides support for repeating operations in tests.
+//
+// A sample retry operation looks like this:
+//
+//   func TestX(t *testing.T) {
+//       retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
+//           if err := foo(); err != nil {
+//               r.Fatal("f: ", err)
+//           }
+//       })
+//   }
+//
+package retry
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Failer is an interface compatible with testing.T.
+type Failer interface {
+	// Log is called for the final test output
+	Log(args ...interface{})
+
+	// FailNow is called when the retrying is abandoned.
+	FailNow()
+}
+
+// R provides context for the retryer.
+type R struct {
+	fail   bool
+	output []string
+}
+
+func (r *R) FailNow() {
+	r.fail = true
+	runtime.Goexit()
+}
+
+func (r *R) Fatal(args ...interface{}) {
+	r.log(fmt.Sprint(args...))
+	r.FailNow()
+}
+
+func (r *R) Fatalf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
+	r.log(fmt.Sprintf(format, args...))
+	r.FailNow()
+}
+
+func (r *R) Error(args ...interface{}) {
+	r.log(fmt.Sprint(args...))
+	r.fail = true
+}
+
+func (r *R) log(s string) {
+	r.output = append(r.output, decorate(s))
+}
+
+func decorate(s string) string {
+	_, file, line, ok := runtime.Caller(3)
+	if ok {
+		n := strings.LastIndex(file, "/")
+		if n >= 0 {
+			file = file[n+1:]
+		}
+	} else {
+		file = "???"
+		line = 1
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d: %s", file, line, s)
+}
+
+func Run(desc string, t Failer, f func(r *R)) {
+	run(OneSec(), desc, t, f)
+}
+
+func RunWith(r Retryer, desc string, t Failer, f func(r *R)) {
+	run(r, desc, t, f)
+}
+
+func dedup(a []string) string {
+	if len(a) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	m := map[string]int{}
+	for _, s := range a {
+		m[s] = m[s] + 1
+	}
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	for _, s := range a {
+		if _, ok := m[s]; ok {
+			b.WriteString(s)
+			b.WriteRune('\n')
+			delete(m, s)
+		}
+	}
+	return string(b.Bytes())
+}
+
+func run(r Retryer, desc string, t Failer, f func(r *R)) {
+	rr := &R{}
+	fail := func() {
+		out := desc + "\n" + dedup(rr.output)
+		if out != "" {
+			t.Log(out)
+		}
+		t.FailNow()
+	}
+	for r.NextOr(fail) {
+		var wg sync.WaitGroup
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			f(rr)
+		}()
+		wg.Wait()
+		if rr.fail {
+			rr.fail = false
+			continue
+		}
+		break
+	}
+}
+
+// OneSec repeats an operation for one second and waits 25ms in between.
+func OneSec() *Timer {
+	return &Timer{Timeout: time.Second, Wait: 25 * time.Millisecond}
+}
+
+// ThreeTimes repeats an operation three times and waits 25ms in between.
+func ThreeTimes() *Counter {
+	return &Counter{Count: 3, Wait: 25 * time.Millisecond}
+}
+
+// Retryer provides an interface for repeating operations
+// until they succeed or an exit condition is met.
+type Retryer interface {
+	// NextOr returns true if the operation should be repeated.
+	// Otherwise, it calls fail and returns false.
+	NextOr(fail func()) bool
+}
+
+// Counter repeats an operation a given number of
+// times and waits between subsequent operations.
+type Counter struct {
+	Count int
+	Wait  time.Duration
+
+	count int
+}
+
+func (r *Counter) NextOr(fail func()) bool {
+	if r.count == r.Count {
+		fail()
+		return false
+	}
+	if r.count > 0 {
+		time.Sleep(r.Wait)
+	}
+	r.count++
+	return true
+}
+
+// Timer repeats an operation for a given amount
+// of time and waits between subsequent operations.
+type Timer struct {
+	Timeout time.Duration
+	Wait    time.Duration
+
+	// stop is the timeout deadline.
+	// Set on the first invocation of Next().
+	stop time.Time
+}
+
+func (r *Timer) NextOr(fail func()) bool {
+	if r.stop.IsZero() {
+		r.stop = time.Now().Add(r.Timeout)
+		return true
+	}
+	if time.Now().After(r.stop) {
+		fail()
+		return false
+	}
+	time.Sleep(r.Wait)
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/testutil/retry/retry_test.go b/testutil/retry/retry_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2caa302266
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testutil/retry/retry_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package retry
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// delta defines the time band a test run should complete in.
+var delta = 5 * time.Millisecond
+
+func TestRetryer(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		desc string
+		r    Retryer
+	}{
+		{"counter", &Counter{Count: 3, Wait: 10 * time.Millisecond}},
+		{"timer", &Timer{Timeout: 20 * time.Millisecond, Wait: 10 * time.Millisecond}},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var iters, fails int
+			fail := func() { fails++ }
+			start := time.Now()
+			for tt.r.NextOr(fail) {
+				iters++
+			}
+			dur := time.Since(start)
+			if got, want := iters, 3; got != want {
+				t.Fatalf("got %d retries want %d", got, want)
+			}
+			if got, want := fails, 1; got != want {
+				t.Fatalf("got %d FailNow calls want %d", got, want)
+			}
+			// since the first iteration happens immediately
+			// the retryer waits only twice for three iterations.
+			// order of events: (true, (wait) true, (wait) true, false)
+			if got, want := dur, 20*time.Millisecond; got < (want-delta) || got > (want+delta) {
+				t.Fatalf("loop took %v want %v (+/- %v)", got, want, delta)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}