diff --git a/go/delivery/builder.go b/go/delivery/builder.go
index 95468e3..bad5430 100644
--- a/go/delivery/builder.go
+++ b/go/delivery/builder.go
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ const (
 	// WaitsFor: a fetch found the module's lock naming a package version the registry does not hold yet; the builder
 	// writes the key queued with Waits (novox/hq ADR 0500 clause 6), and it is built once the package is published.
 	WaitsFor = "waits for: "
+	// Retake: a failure that passes by itself (a name lookup that timed out, a refused connection): the builder takes
+	// the key again after a backoff, at most MaxRetakes times (issue 1748). A build module opens every such failure with it.
+	Retake = "retakeable: "
+	// MaxRetakes is how many times the builder takes a key again by itself for a retakeable failure.
+	MaxRetakes = 3
 )
 
 // FailedUntilChanged says whether a failed key's error is one that is not built again until the module's fingerprint
@@ -159,6 +164,12 @@ func FailedUntilChanged(err string) bool {
 	return strings.HasPrefix(err, NotPinned) || strings.HasPrefix(err, VersionTaken) || strings.HasPrefix(err, RefusedKind)
 }
 
+// Retakeable says whether a failed key's error opens with Retake: the builder takes it again by itself after a backoff,
+// until BuilderBuild.Retakes reaches MaxRetakes. An error that is FailedUntilChanged, or opens with no prefix, is not.
+func Retakeable(err string) bool {
+	return strings.HasPrefix(err, Retake) && !FailedUntilChanged(err)
+}
+
 // ToolchainUsed is what a build used for one language (ADR 0405 clauses 2 and 7): the installed toolchain's version and
 // the build module's recipe version.
 type ToolchainUsed struct {
@@ -180,6 +191,10 @@ type BuilderBuild struct {
 	Artifacts  []BuiltArtifact          `json:"artifacts,omitempty"`
 	Toolchains map[string]ToolchainUsed `json:"toolchains,omitempty"`
 	Error      string                   `json:"error,omitempty"`
+	// Retakes is how many times the builder took this key again by itself after a retakeable failure (Retake); it is kept
+	// on the key, so a builder that starts again reads it and the count survives a restart (issue 1748). A reader that
+	// does not know the field reads 0.
+	Retakes int `json:"retakes,omitempty"`
 	// Waits is, on a queued key only, the package version `<name>@<version>` the module's lock names and the registry
 	// does not yet hold: the key is not claimed until that package's trunk key is done and published (novox/hq ADR 0500
 	// clause 6). A reader that does not know the field reads the key as queued.
diff --git a/go/delivery/builder_reference_test.go b/go/delivery/builder_reference_test.go
index 4a0dd3c..dd9c68a 100644
--- a/go/delivery/builder_reference_test.go
+++ b/go/delivery/builder_reference_test.go
@@ -141,3 +141,32 @@ func TestWaitsForIsAPrefixThatIsBuiltAgain(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("WaitsFor = %q", WaitsFor)
 	}
 }
+
+// A retakeable error opens with Retake and is not one that waits for the fingerprint; the count is on the key's value (issue 1748).
+func TestRetakeableIsAPrefixTheBuilderTakesAgain(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, c := range []struct {
+		err  string
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{Retake + "lookup git.novox.be: i/o timeout", true},
+		{NotPinned + "x", false},
+		{Retake[:4] + " not the prefix", false},
+		{"go test: 2 failed", false},
+		{"", false},
+		{VersionTaken + Retake, false},
+	} {
+		if got := Retakeable(c.err); got != c.want {
+			t.Errorf("Retakeable(%q) = %v", c.err, got)
+		}
+	}
+	if Retake != "retakeable: " || MaxRetakes != 3 {
+		t.Fatal("the retake prefix or its bound changed")
+	}
+	data, err := EncodeBuilderBuild(BuilderBuild{State: BuildFailed, Error: Retake + "x", Retakes: 2})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if back, err := DecodeBuilderBuild(data); err != nil || back.Retakes != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("decoded %+v, %v", back, err)
+	}
+}