diff --git a/cmd/drone-docker/main.go b/cmd/drone-docker/main.go
index 742d4a1..c4e01aa 100644
--- a/cmd/drone-docker/main.go
+++ b/cmd/drone-docker/main.go
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ func main() {
 			Usage:  "don't start the docker daemon",
 			EnvVar: "PLUGIN_DAEMON_OFF",
 		},
+		cli.IntFlag{
+			Name:   "daemon.retry-count",
+			Usage:  "number of retry attempts to reach docker daemon",
+			Value:  15,
+			EnvVar: "PLUGIN_DAEMON_RETRY_COUNT",
+		},
 		cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:   "dockerfile",
 			Usage:  "build dockerfile",
@@ -419,6 +425,7 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 			DNSSearch:     c.StringSlice("daemon.dns-search"),
 			MTU:           c.String("daemon.mtu"),
 			Experimental:  c.Bool("daemon.experimental"),
+			RetryCount:    c.Int("daemon.retry-count"),
 			RegistryType:  registryType,
 		},
 		BaseImageRegistry: c.String("docker.baseimageregistry"),
diff --git a/docker.go b/docker.go
index b7068a6..2ff82ac 100644
--- a/docker.go
+++ b/docker.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ type (
 		MTU           string             // Docker daemon mtu setting
 		IPv6          bool               // Docker daemon IPv6 networking
 		Experimental  bool               // Docker daemon enable experimental mode
+		RetryCount    int                // Number of retry attempts to reach Docker daemon
 		RegistryType  drone.RegistryType // Docker registry type
 	}
 
@@ -137,14 +138,18 @@ func (p Plugin) Exec() error {
 
 	// poll the docker daemon until it is started. This ensures the daemon is
 	// ready to accept connections before we proceed.
+	maxRetries := p.Daemon.RetryCount
+	if maxRetries <= 0 {
+		maxRetries = 15 // default value
+	}
 	for i := 0; ; i++ {
 		cmd := commandInfo()
 		err := cmd.Run()
 		if err == nil {
 			break
 		}
-		if i == 15 {
-			fmt.Println("Unable to reach Docker Daemon after 15 attempts.")
+		if i == maxRetries {
+			fmt.Printf("Unable to reach Docker Daemon after %d attempts.\n", maxRetries)
 			break
 		}
 		time.Sleep(time.Second * 1)