diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/main_loop.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/main_loop.rs
index ceddb2b0563..d69f7941d86 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/main_loop.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/main_loop.rs
@@ -337,6 +337,16 @@ fn handle_event(&mut self, event: Event) -> Result<()> {
     fn on_request(&mut self, request_received: Instant, req: Request) -> Result<()> {
         self.register_request(&req, request_received);
 
+        if self.status == Status::Loading {
+            self.respond(lsp_server::Response::new_err(
+                req.id,
+                // FIXME: i32 should impl From<ErrorCode> (from() guarantees lossless conversion)
+                lsp_server::ErrorCode::ContentModified as i32,
+                "Rust Analyzer is still loading...".to_owned(),
+            ));
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
         RequestDispatcher { req: Some(req), global_state: self }
             .on_sync::<lsp_ext::ReloadWorkspace>(|s, ()| Ok(s.fetch_workspaces()))?
             .on_sync::<lsp_ext::JoinLines>(|s, p| handlers::handle_join_lines(s.snapshot(), p))?
diff --git a/editors/code/src/util.ts b/editors/code/src/util.ts
index 970fedb3787..49d2d1c6fbe 100644
--- a/editors/code/src/util.ts
+++ b/editors/code/src/util.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ export async function sendRequestWithRetry<TParam, TRet>(
     param: TParam,
     token?: vscode.CancellationToken,
 ): Promise<TRet> {
-    for (const delay of [2, 4, 6, 8, 10, null]) {
+    // The sequence is `10 * (2 ** (2 * n))` where n is 1, 2, 3...
+    for (const delay of [40, 160, 640, 2560, 10240, null]) {
         try {
             return await (token
                 ? client.sendRequest(reqType, param, token)
@@ -84,8 +85,7 @@ export async function sendRequestWithRetry<TParam, TRet>(
                 log.warn("LSP request failed", { method: reqType.method, param, error });
                 throw error;
             }
-
-            await sleep(10 * (1 << delay));
+            await sleep(delay);
         }
     }
     throw 'unreachable';