diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9b084ec..3673e0c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ async fn main() {
         "> Healthcheck timeout: {}ms",
         config.general.healthcheck_timeout
     );
+    println!("> Connection timeout: {}ms", config.general.connect_timeout);
 
     let pool = ConnectionPool::from_config(config.clone(), client_server_map.clone()).await;
     let transaction_mode = config.general.pool_mode == "transaction";
diff --git a/src/pool.rs b/src/pool.rs
index 49e13e5..8cf3ada 100644
--- a/src/pool.rs
+++ b/src/pool.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub struct ConnectionPool {
     banlist: BanList,
     healthcheck_timeout: u64,
     ban_time: i64,
+    pool_size: u32,
 }
 
 impl ConnectionPool {
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ impl ConnectionPool {
             banlist: Arc::new(Mutex::new(banlist)),
             healthcheck_timeout: config.general.healthcheck_timeout,
             ban_time: config.general.ban_time,
+            pool_size: config.general.pool_size,
         }
     }
 
@@ -115,12 +117,29 @@ impl ConnectionPool {
 
         let mut allowed_attempts = match role {
             // Primary-specific queries get one attempt, if the primary is down,
-            // nothing we can do.
-            Some(Role::Primary) => 1,
+            // nothing we should do about it I think. It's dangerous to retry
+            // write queries.
+            Some(Role::Primary) => {
+                // Make sure we have a primary in the pool configured.
+                let primary_present = self.addresses[shard]
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|&db| db.role == Role::Primary)
+                    .count();
 
-            // Replicas get to try as many times as there are replicas.
-            Some(Role::Replica) => self.databases[shard].len(),
-            None => self.databases[shard].len(),
+                // TODO: return this error to the client, so people don't have to look in
+                // the logs to figure out what happened.
+                if primary_present == 0 {
+                    println!(">> Error: Primary requested but none are configured.");
+                    return Err(Error::AllServersDown);
+                }
+
+                // Primary gets one attempt.
+                1
+            }
+
+            // Replicas get to try as many times as there are replicas
+            // and connections in the pool.
+            _ => self.databases[shard].len() * self.pool_size as usize,
         };
 
         while allowed_attempts > 0 {
@@ -184,6 +203,9 @@ impl ConnectionPool {
                             ">> Banning replica {} because of failed health check",
                             index
                         );
+                        // Don't leave a bad connection in the pool.
+                        server.mark_bad();
+
                         self.ban(&address, shard);
                         continue;
                     }
@@ -194,6 +216,9 @@ impl ConnectionPool {
                         ">> Banning replica {} because of health check timeout",
                         index
                     );
+                    // Don't leave a bad connection in the pool.
+                    server.mark_bad();
+
                     self.ban(&address, shard);
                     continue;
                 }