diff --git a/beets/autotag/mb.py b/beets/autotag/mb.py
index 097840f85..bd0d5cae3 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/mb.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/mb.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import re
 import time
 import logging
 import musicbrainz2.webservice as mbws
+import httplib
 from musicbrainz2.model import Release
 from threading import Lock
 from musicbrainz2.model import VARIOUS_ARTISTS_ID
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@ def _query_wrap(fun, *args, **kwargs):
                 # Malformed response from server.
                 log.error('Bad response from MusicBrainz: ' + str(exc))
                 raise BadResponseError()
+            except httplib.BadStatusLine:
+                log.warn('Bad HTTP status line from MusicBrainz')
             except mbws.WebServiceError, e:
                 # Server busy. Retry.
                 message = str(e.reason)
diff --git a/test/test_mb.py b/test/test_mb.py
index a1684f368..30e0c8aea 100644
--- a/test/test_mb.py
+++ b/test/test_mb.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import unittest
 import time
 import musicbrainz2.model
 import musicbrainz2.webservice as mbws
+import httplib
 
 import _common
 from beets.autotag import mb
@@ -85,6 +86,10 @@ class MBQueryErrorTest(unittest.TestCase):
         exc = mbws.WebServiceError(reason=Exception('Error 504'))
         mb._query_wrap(raise_once_func(exc))
 
+    def test_status_line_error_retries(self):
+        exc = httplib.BadStatusLine('dummy')
+        mb._query_wrap(raise_once_func(exc))
+
     def test_999_error_passes_through(self):
         exc = mbws.WebServiceError(reason=Exception('Error 999'))
         with self.assertRaises(mbws.WebServiceError):