diff --git a/beetsplug/echonest_tempo.py b/beetsplug/echonest_tempo.py
index f93842e38..467dcb75d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/echonest_tempo.py
+++ b/beetsplug/echonest_tempo.py
@@ -71,16 +71,20 @@ def get_tempo(artist, title):
             )
         except pyechonest.util.EchoNestAPIError as e:
             if e.code == 3:
-                # Rate limit exceeded.
-                if i >= RETRIES - 1:
-                    # Waited too many times already.
-                    log.debug(u'echonest_tempo: exceeded retries')
-                    return None
-                else:
-                    # Wait and try again.
-                    time.sleep(RETRY_INTERVAL)
+                # Wait and try again.
+                time.sleep(RETRY_INTERVAL)
+            else:
+                raise
+        except pyechonest.util.EchoNestIOError as e:
+            log.debug(u'echonest_tempo: IO error: {0}'.format(e))
+            time.sleep(RETRY_INTERVAL)
         else:
             break
+    else:
+        # If we exited the loop without breaking, then we used up all
+        # our allotted retries.
+        log.debug(u'echonest_tempo: exceeded retries')
+        return None
 
     if len(results) > 0:
         return results[0].audio_summary['tempo']
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index b4a74770e..4305f8e35 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ Changelog
 1.0rc2 (in development)
 -----------------------
 
-* :doc:`/plugins/echonest_tempo`: If the Echo Nest API limit is exceeded, the
-  plugin now waits and tries again instead of crashing. Thanks to Zach Denton.
+* :doc:`/plugins/echonest_tempo`: If the Echo Nest API limit is exceeded or a
+  communication error occurs, the plugin now waits and tries again instead of
+  crashing. Thanks to Zach Denton.
 * :doc:`/plugins/fetchart`: Fix a regression that caused crashes when art was
   not available from some sources.
 * Fix a regression on Windows that caused all relative paths to be "not found".