diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index 8bd45ae..e1c47ff 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -2528,9 +2528,10 @@
 			case LOG_FMT_RETRIES:  // %rq
 				if (s_flags & SF_REDISP)
 					LOGCHAR('+');
-				ret = ltoa_o((s && s->si[1].conn_retries > 0) ?
-				                (be->conn_retries - s->si[1].conn_retries) :
-				                be->conn_retries, tmplog, dst + maxsize - tmplog);
+				ret = ltoa_o(((s && s->si[1].conn_retries > 0)
+					      ? (be->conn_retries - s->si[1].conn_retries)
+					      : ((s && s->si[1].state != SI_ST_INI) ? be->conn_retries : 0)),
+					     tmplog, dst + maxsize - tmplog);
 				if (ret == NULL)
 					goto out;
 				tmplog = ret;