diff --git a/src/client/io.cc b/src/client/io.cc
index 0097c952f..96c628373 100644
--- a/src/client/io.cc
+++ b/src/client/io.cc
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #include <iostream>
 
+#include "common/util/env.h"
+
 namespace vineyard {
 
 static const int kNumConnectAttempts = 10;
@@ -108,12 +110,16 @@ Status connect_ipc_socket_retry(const std::string& pathname, int& socket_fd) {
 
   auto status = connect_ipc_socket(pathname, socket_fd);
 
+  bool skip_retry = read_env("VINEYARD_IPC_SKIP_RETRY", "0") == "1";
   while (!status.ok() && num_retries > 0) {
     std::clog << "[info] Connection to IPC socket failed for pathname "
               << pathname << " with ret = " << status << ", retrying "
               << num_retries << " more times." << std::endl;
     usleep(static_cast<int>(timeout * 1000));
     status = connect_ipc_socket(pathname, socket_fd);
+    if (!status.ok() && skip_retry) {
+      break;
+    }
     --num_retries;
   }
   if (!status.ok()) {
@@ -130,12 +136,16 @@ Status connect_rpc_socket_retry(const std::string& host, const uint32_t port,
 
   auto status = connect_rpc_socket(host, port, socket_fd);
 
+  bool skip_retry = read_env("VINEYARD_RPC_SKIP_RETRY", "0") == "1";
   while (!status.ok() && num_retries > 0) {
     std::clog << "[info] Connection to RPC socket failed for endpoint " << host
               << ":" << port << " with ret = " << status << ", retrying "
               << num_retries << " more times." << std::endl;
     usleep(static_cast<int>(timeout * 1000));
     status = connect_rpc_socket(host, port, socket_fd);
+    if (!status.ok() && skip_retry) {
+      break;
+    }
     --num_retries;
   }
   if (!status.ok()) {