diff --git a/offlineimap.conf b/offlineimap.conf
index 4df674b..e13b8db 100644
--- a/offlineimap.conf
+++ b/offlineimap.conf
@@ -1270,6 +1270,26 @@ remoteuser = username
 #"cvlc --play-and-stop --play-and-exit /path/to/sound/file.mp3 > /dev/null 2>&1")
 
 
+# This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section. [TESTING]
+#
+# Operating under extreme network conditions (China) network connectivity
+# especially for SSL can be so bad and so slow that absolutely every possible
+# kind of connectivity error that can occur does occur.
+#
+# Rather than have offlineimap exit on errors it may be preferable to have it
+# simply retry fetching of messages dozens of times.  The alternative is to
+# restart offlineimap in a constant loop, which may involve using significant
+# CPU cycles (if the repository is large) to load up the UID database again.
+#
+# This option is best utilised in combination with socktimeout, which catches
+# instances of interference by e.g. the GFW at the TCP layer, as well as China
+# ISPs simply not coping.
+#
+# Default value: retrycount = 2
+#
+#retrycount = 2
+
+
 # This option stands in the [Repository RemoteExample] section.
 #
 # If offlineiamp is having troubles to download some UIDS, it's possible to get
diff --git a/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py b/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
index 31eaeb3..dc594d1 100644
--- a/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
+++ b/offlineimap/folder/Gmail.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class GmailFolder(IMAPFolder):
                   (probably severity MESSAGE) if e.g. no message with
                   this UID could be found.
         """
-        data = self._fetch_from_imap(str(uid), 2)
+        data = self._fetch_from_imap(str(uid), self.retrycount)
 
         # data looks now e.g.
         #[('320 (X-GM-LABELS (...) UID 17061 BODY[] {2565}','msgbody....')]
diff --git a/offlineimap/folder/IMAP.py b/offlineimap/folder/IMAP.py
index f8fcf7b..01baa44 100644
--- a/offlineimap/folder/IMAP.py
+++ b/offlineimap/folder/IMAP.py
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ class IMAPFolder(BaseFolder):
         # self.ui is set in BaseFolder.
         self.imap_query = ['BODY.PEEK[]']
 
+        # number of times to retry fetching messages
+        self.retrycount = self.repository.getconfint('retrycount', 2)
+
         fh_conf = self.repository.account.getconf('filterheaders', '')
         self.filterheaders = [h for h in re.split(r'\s*,\s*', fh_conf) if h]
 
@@ -305,7 +308,7 @@ class IMAPFolder(BaseFolder):
                   this UID could be found.
         """
 
-        data = self._fetch_from_imap(str(uid), 2)
+        data = self._fetch_from_imap(str(uid), self.retrycount)
 
         # Data looks now e.g.
         # [('320 (UID 17061 BODY[] {2565}','msgbody....')]