diff --git a/openbsc/src/sms_queue.c b/openbsc/src/sms_queue.c
index c03b369..41b9ecc 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/sms_queue.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/sms_queue.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
 
 	network->sms_queue = sms;
 	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&sms->pending_sms);
-	sms->max_fail = 3;
+	sms->max_fail = 1;
 	sms->network = network;
 	sms->max_pending = max_pending;
 	sms->push_queue.data = sms;