diff --git a/config.json.example b/config.json.example
index d80a37c..bc0a1a4 100644
--- a/config.json.example
+++ b/config.json.example
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "mode": "implement",
   "maxIterations": 20,
   "skipEval": false,
-  "evalRetries": 2,
+  "evalRetries": 3,
   "autoHooks": true,
   "branchPrefix": "loop/",
   "scopeBudgets": {
diff --git a/loop.sh b/loop.sh
index 24c22ec..f6482be 100755
--- a/loop.sh
+++ b/loop.sh
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ TOOL=$(config_default ".tool" "claude")
 MODE=$(config_default ".mode" "implement")
 MAX_ITERATIONS=$(config_default ".maxIterations" "20")
 SKIP_EVAL=$(config_default ".skipEval" "false")
-EVAL_RETRIES=$(config_default ".evalRetries" "2")
+EVAL_RETRIES=$(config_default ".evalRetries" "3")
 AUTO_HOOKS=$(config_default ".autoHooks" "true")
 DRY_RUN=false
 RESUME=false
diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index 881ff17..887927c 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ cat > "$LOOP_DIR/config.json" << EOF
   "mode": "$MODE",
   "maxIterations": 20,
   "skipEval": false,
-  "evalRetries": 2,
+  "evalRetries": 3,
   "autoHooks": true,
   "branchPrefix": "loop/",
   "scopeBudgets": {