diff --git a/spinifex/services/viperblockd/viperblockd.go b/spinifex/services/viperblockd/viperblockd.go
index 2c5b287b0..75a8e7e20 100644
--- a/spinifex/services/viperblockd/viperblockd.go
+++ b/spinifex/services/viperblockd/viperblockd.go
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func (svc *Service) Reload() (err error) {
 
 func launchService(cfg *Config) (err error) {
 	// Connect to NATS
-	nc, err := utils.ConnectNATS(admin.DialTarget(cfg.NatsHost), cfg.NatsToken, cfg.NatsCACert)
+	nc, err := utils.ConnectNATSWithRetry(admin.DialTarget(cfg.NatsHost), cfg.NatsToken, cfg.NatsCACert)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Failed to connect to NATS", "err", err)
 		return err
diff --git a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
index 41cd0abbc..cf58131c3 100644
--- a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
+++ b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func launchService(cfg *Config) error {
 	slog.Info("OVN preflight passed (br-int exists, ovn-controller running)")
 
 	// Connect to NATS
-	nc, err := utils.ConnectNATS(admin.DialTarget(cfg.NatsHost), cfg.NatsToken, cfg.NatsCACert)
+	nc, err := utils.ConnectNATSWithRetry(admin.DialTarget(cfg.NatsHost), cfg.NatsToken, cfg.NatsCACert)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Failed to connect to NATS", "err", err)
 		return err