diff --git a/mautrix_twitter/user.py b/mautrix_twitter/user.py
index cd94431..7ed7e9c 100644
--- a/mautrix_twitter/user.py
+++ b/mautrix_twitter/user.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, AsyncGenerator, AsyncIterable, Awaitable, cast
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, AsyncGenerator, AsyncIterable, Awaitable, Callable, TypeVar, cast
 import asyncio
 import logging
 
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
     }
 )
 
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
 
 class User(DBUser, BaseUser):
     by_mxid: dict[UserID, User] = {}
@@ -192,6 +194,23 @@ async def locked_connect(self, auth_token: str, csrf_token: str) -> None:
             finally:
                 self._connect_task = None
 
+    async def _hacky_retry_loop(
+        self, fn: Callable[[], Awaitable[T]], action: str, max_retry_count: int = 5
+    ) -> T:
+        retry_count = 0
+        while True:
+            try:
+                return await fn()
+            except aiohttp.ClientResponseError as e:
+                if e.status == 403 and retry_count < max_retry_count:
+                    retry_count += 1
+                    self.log.warning(
+                        f"Unexpected 403 in {action}, retrying in 5 seconds", exc_info=True
+                    )
+                    await asyncio.sleep(5)
+                else:
+                    raise
+
     async def _connect(self, auth_token: str | None = None, csrf_token: str | None = None) -> None:
         client = TwitterAPI(
             log=logging.getLogger("mau.twitter.api").getChild(self.mxid),
@@ -202,20 +221,7 @@ async def _connect(self, auth_token: str | None = None, csrf_token: str | None =
         client.set_tokens(auth_token or self.auth_token, csrf_token or self.csrf_token)
 
         # Initial ping to make sure auth works
-        initial_ping_retry = 0
-        while True:
-            try:
-                await client.get_user_identifier()
-                break
-            except aiohttp.ClientResponseError as e:
-                if e.status == 403 and initial_ping_retry < 5:
-                    initial_ping_retry += 1
-                    self.log.warning(
-                        "Unexpected 403 in initial ping, retrying in 5 seconds", exc_info=True
-                    )
-                    await asyncio.sleep(5)
-                else:
-                    raise
+        await self._hacky_retry_loop(client.get_user_identifier, action="initial ping")
 
         self.client = client
         self.client.add_handler(Conversation, self.handle_conversation_update)
@@ -231,7 +237,7 @@ async def _connect(self, auth_token: str | None = None, csrf_token: str | None =
         self.client.add_handler(PollingErrored, self.on_error)
         self.client.add_handler(PollingErrorResolved, self.on_error_resolved)
 
-        user_info = await self.get_info()
+        user_info = await self._hacky_retry_loop(self.get_info, action="settings fetch")
         self.twid = user_info.id
         self._track_metric(METRIC_LOGGED_IN, True)
         self.by_twid[self.twid] = self