diff --git a/lib/resty/cassandra/cluster.lua b/lib/resty/cassandra/cluster.lua
index 20b6dcd..e11ac7a 100644
--- a/lib/resty/cassandra/cluster.lua
+++ b/lib/resty/cassandra/cluster.lua
@@ -954,7 +954,10 @@ local function handle_error(self, err, cql_code, coordinator, request)
   elseif err == 'timeout' then
     coordinator:close()
     if self.retry_on_timeout then
-      return self:send_retry(request, 'timeout')
+      local should_retry = self.retry_policy:on_connect_timeout(request)
+      if should_retry then
+        return self:send_retry(request, 'timeout')
+      end
     end
   else
     -- host seems down?
diff --git a/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/init.lua b/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/init.lua
index c143868..522f816 100644
--- a/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/init.lua
+++ b/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/init.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ function _M.new_policy(name)
     on_unavailable = function() error('on_unavailable() not implemented') end,
     on_read_timeout = function() error('on_read_timeout() not implemented') end,
     on_write_timeout = function() error('on_write_timeout() not implemented') end,
+    on_connect_timeout = function() error('on_connect_timeout() not implemented') end,
   }
 
   retry_mt.__index = retry_mt
diff --git a/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/simple.lua b/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/simple.lua
index 185afa8..57c671a 100644
--- a/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/simple.lua
+++ b/lib/resty/cassandra/policies/retry/simple.lua
@@ -47,4 +47,8 @@ function _M:on_write_timeout(request)
   return request.retries < self.max_retries
 end
 
+function _M:on_connect_timeout(request)
+  return request.retries < self.max_retries
+end
+
 return _M