diff --git a/driver.go b/driver.go
index 6d12bc8..1b83c2b 100644
--- a/driver.go
+++ b/driver.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -21,7 +22,26 @@ var trueVar = true
 var falseVar = false
 
 type hetznerDriver struct {
-	client hetznerClienter
+	client         hetznerClienter
+	nextTry        time.Time
+	failuresInARow int
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) checkBackoff() error {
+	if time.Now().Before(hd.nextTry) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("last failure too recent; waiting a bit before retrying")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) handleBackoff(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		hd.failuresInARow = 0
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		hd.nextTry = time.Now().Add(time.Duration(int64(math.Pow(2, float64(hd.failuresInARow)))) * time.Second)
+		hd.failuresInARow++
+	}
 }
 
 func newHetznerDriver() *hetznerDriver {
@@ -36,7 +56,7 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Capabilities() *volume.CapabilitiesResponse {
 	}
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Create(req *volume.CreateRequest) error {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) createInternal(req *volume.CreateRequest) error {
 	validateOptions(req.Name, req.Options)
 
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
@@ -61,7 +81,7 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Create(req *volume.CreateRequest) error {
 	}
 	switch f := getOption("fstype", req.Options); f {
 	case "xfs", "ext4":
-		opts.Format = hcloud.String(f)
+		opts.Format = hcloud.Ptr(f)
 	}
 
 	resp, _, err := hd.client.Volume().Create(context.Background(), opts)
@@ -118,7 +138,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Create(req *volume.CreateRequest) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) List() (*volume.ListResponse, error) {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Create(req *volume.CreateRequest) error {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err := hd.createInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) listInternal() (*volume.ListResponse, error) {
 	logrus.Infof("got list request")
 
 	vols, err := hd.client.Volume().All(context.Background())
@@ -150,7 +180,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) List() (*volume.ListResponse, error) {
 	return &resp, nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Get(req *volume.GetRequest) (*volume.GetResponse, error) {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) List() (*volume.ListResponse, error) {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	resp, err := hd.listInternal()
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return resp, err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) getInternal(req *volume.GetRequest) (*volume.GetResponse, error) {
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
 
 	logrus.Infof("fetching information for volume %q", prefixedName)
@@ -186,7 +226,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Get(req *volume.GetRequest) (*volume.GetResponse, error
 	return &resp, nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Remove(req *volume.RemoveRequest) error {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Get(req *volume.GetRequest) (*volume.GetResponse, error) {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	resp, err := hd.getInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return resp, err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) removeInternal(req *volume.RemoveRequest) error {
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
 
 	logrus.Infof("starting volume removal for %q", prefixedName)
@@ -228,7 +278,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Remove(req *volume.RemoveRequest) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Path(req *volume.PathRequest) (*volume.PathResponse, error) {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Remove(req *volume.RemoveRequest) error {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err := hd.removeInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) pathInternal(req *volume.PathRequest) (*volume.PathResponse, error) {
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
 
 	logrus.Infof("got path request for volume %q", prefixedName)
@@ -241,7 +301,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Path(req *volume.PathRequest) (*volume.PathResponse, er
 	return &volume.PathResponse{Mountpoint: resp.Volume.Mountpoint}, nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Mount(req *volume.MountRequest) (*volume.MountResponse, error) {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Path(req *volume.PathRequest) (*volume.PathResponse, error) {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	resp, err := hd.pathInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return resp, err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) mountInternal(req *volume.MountRequest) (*volume.MountResponse, error) {
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
 
 	logrus.Infof("received mount request for %q as %q", prefixedName, req.ID)
@@ -313,7 +383,17 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Mount(req *volume.MountRequest) (*volume.MountResponse,
 	return &volume.MountResponse{Mountpoint: mountpoint}, nil
 }
 
-func (hd *hetznerDriver) Unmount(req *volume.UnmountRequest) error {
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Mount(req *volume.MountRequest) (*volume.MountResponse, error) {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	resp, err := hd.mountInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return resp, err
+}
+
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) unmountInternal(req *volume.UnmountRequest) error {
 	prefixedName := prefixName(req.Name)
 
 	logrus.Infof("received unmount request for %q as %q", prefixedName, req.ID)
@@ -357,6 +437,16 @@ func (hd *hetznerDriver) Unmount(req *volume.UnmountRequest) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (hd *hetznerDriver) Unmount(req *volume.UnmountRequest) error {
+	if err := hd.checkBackoff(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err := hd.unmountInternal(req)
+	hd.handleBackoff(err)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (hd *hetznerDriver) getServerForLocalhost() (*hcloud.Server, error) {
 	hostname, err := os.Hostname()
 	if err != nil {