diff --git a/backend/ftp/ftp.go b/backend/ftp/ftp.go
index 148e04f0b..f9401ac64 100644
--- a/backend/ftp/ftp.go
+++ b/backend/ftp/ftp.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/config/configmap"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/config/configstruct"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/config/obscure"
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/fserrors"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/fshttp"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/hash"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/lib/encoder"
@@ -33,6 +34,12 @@ var (
 	currentUser = env.CurrentUser()
 )
 
+const (
+	minSleep      = 10 * time.Millisecond
+	maxSleep      = 2 * time.Second
+	decayConstant = 2 // bigger for slower decay, exponential
+)
+
 // Register with Fs
 func init() {
 	fs.Register(&fs.RegInfo{
@@ -157,6 +164,7 @@ type Fs struct {
 	drain    *time.Timer // used to drain the pool when we stop using the connections
 	tokens   *pacer.TokenDispenser
 	tlsConf  *tls.Config
+	pacer    *fs.Pacer // pacer for FTP connections
 }
 
 // Object describes an FTP file
@@ -250,8 +258,24 @@ func (d *dialCtx) dial(network, address string) (net.Conn, error) {
 	return conn, err
 }
 
+// shouldRetry returns a boolean as to whether this err deserve to be
+// retried.  It returns the err as a convenience
+func shouldRetry(ctx context.Context, err error) (bool, error) {
+	if fserrors.ContextError(ctx, &err) {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	switch errX := err.(type) {
+	case *textproto.Error:
+		switch errX.Code {
+		case ftp.StatusNotAvailable:
+			return true, err
+		}
+	}
+	return fserrors.ShouldRetry(err), err
+}
+
 // Open a new connection to the FTP server.
-func (f *Fs) ftpConnection(ctx context.Context) (*ftp.ServerConn, error) {
+func (f *Fs) ftpConnection(ctx context.Context) (c *ftp.ServerConn, err error) {
 	fs.Debugf(f, "Connecting to FTP server")
 	dCtx := dialCtx{f, ctx}
 	ftpConfig := []ftp.DialOption{ftp.DialWithDialFunc(dCtx.dial)}
@@ -273,18 +297,22 @@ func (f *Fs) ftpConnection(ctx context.Context) (*ftp.ServerConn, error) {
 	if f.ci.Dump&(fs.DumpHeaders|fs.DumpBodies|fs.DumpRequests|fs.DumpResponses) != 0 {
 		ftpConfig = append(ftpConfig, ftp.DialWithDebugOutput(&debugLog{auth: f.ci.Dump&fs.DumpAuth != 0}))
 	}
-	c, err := ftp.Dial(f.dialAddr, ftpConfig...)
+	err = f.pacer.Call(func() (bool, error) {
+		c, err = ftp.Dial(f.dialAddr, ftpConfig...)
+		if err != nil {
+			return shouldRetry(ctx, err)
+		}
+		err = c.Login(f.user, f.pass)
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = c.Quit()
+			return shouldRetry(ctx, err)
+		}
+		return false, nil
+	})
 	if err != nil {
-		fs.Errorf(f, "Error while Dialing %s: %s", f.dialAddr, err)
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "ftpConnection Dial")
+		err = errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to make FTP connection to %q", f.dialAddr)
 	}
-	err = c.Login(f.user, f.pass)
-	if err != nil {
-		_ = c.Quit()
-		fs.Errorf(f, "Error while Logging in into %s: %s", f.dialAddr, err)
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "ftpConnection Login")
-	}
-	return c, nil
+	return c, err
 }
 
 // Get an FTP connection from the pool, or open a new one
@@ -417,6 +445,7 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (ff fs.Fs
 		dialAddr: dialAddr,
 		tokens:   pacer.NewTokenDispenser(opt.Concurrency),
 		tlsConf:  tlsConfig,
+		pacer:    fs.NewPacer(ctx, pacer.NewDefault(pacer.MinSleep(minSleep), pacer.MaxSleep(maxSleep), pacer.DecayConstant(decayConstant))),
 	}
 	f.features = (&fs.Features{
 		CanHaveEmptyDirectories: true,