diff --git a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
index d729587d6..6f2f3ae52 100644
--- a/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
+++ b/builtin/provisioners/chef/resource_provisioner.go
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func Provisioner() terraform.ResourceProvisioner {
 			"max_retries": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:     schema.TypeInt,
 				Optional: true,
-				Default:  1,
+				Default:  0,
 			},
 			"no_proxy": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:     schema.TypeList,
@@ -392,6 +392,11 @@ func applyFn(ctx context.Context) error {
 	o.Output("Starting initial Chef-Client run...")
 
 	for attempt := 0; attempt <= p.MaxRetries; attempt++ {
+		// We need a new retry context for each attempt, to make sure
+		// they all get the correct timeout.
+		retryCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, comm.Timeout())
+		defer cancel()
+
 		// Make sure to (re)connect before trying to run Chef-Client.
 		if err := communicator.Retry(retryCtx, func() error {
 			return comm.Connect(o)
@@ -795,7 +800,7 @@ func decodeConfig(d *schema.ResourceData) (*provisioner, error) {
 		OSType:                d.Get("os_type").(string),
 		RecreateClient:        d.Get("recreate_client").(bool),
 		PreventSudo:           d.Get("prevent_sudo").(bool),
-		RetryOnExitCode:       getIntListAsMap(d.Get("retry_on_exit_code")),
+		RetryOnExitCode:       getRetryOnExitCodes(d),
 		RunList:               getStringList(d.Get("run_list")),
 		SecretKey:             d.Get("secret_key").(string),
 		ServerURL:             d.Get("server_url").(string),
@@ -855,12 +860,19 @@ func decodeConfig(d *schema.ResourceData) (*provisioner, error) {
 	return p, nil
 }
 
-func getIntListAsMap(v interface{}) map[int]bool {
+func getRetryOnExitCodes(d *schema.ResourceData) map[int]bool {
 	result := make(map[int]bool)
 
-	switch v := v.(type) {
-	case nil:
+	v, ok := d.GetOk("retry_on_exit_code")
+	if !ok || v == nil {
+		// Use default exit codes
+		result[35] = true
+		result[37] = true
+		result[213] = true
 		return result
+	}
+
+	switch v := v.(type) {
 	case []interface{}:
 		for _, vv := range v {
 			if vv, ok := vv.(int); ok {
diff --git a/communicator/winrm/communicator.go b/communicator/winrm/communicator.go
index cdeab9383..6f48085e1 100644
--- a/communicator/winrm/communicator.go
+++ b/communicator/winrm/communicator.go
@@ -52,9 +52,8 @@ func New(s *terraform.InstanceState) (*Communicator, error) {
 
 // Connect implementation of communicator.Communicator interface
 func (c *Communicator) Connect(o terraform.UIOutput) error {
-	if c.client != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
+	// Set the client to nil since we'll (re)create it
+	c.client = nil
 
 	params := winrm.DefaultParameters
 	params.Timeout = formatDuration(c.Timeout())
diff --git a/website/docs/provisioners/chef.html.markdown b/website/docs/provisioners/chef.html.markdown
index 59293aa97..fcb330472 100644
--- a/website/docs/provisioners/chef.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/provisioners/chef.html.markdown
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `https_proxy (string)` - (Optional) The proxy server for Chef Client HTTPS connections.
 
 * `max_retries (integer)` - (Optional) The number of times to retry the provisioning process
-  after receiving an exit code in the `retry_on_error` list. Defaults to `1`
+  after receiving an exit code in the `retry_on_error` list. Defaults to `0`
 
 * `named_run_list (string)` - (Optional) The name of an alternate run-list to invoke during the
   initial Chef Client run. The run-list must already exist in the Policyfile that defines
@@ -136,9 +136,10 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 * `recreate_client (boolean)` - (Optional) If `true`, first delete any existing Chef Node and
   Client before registering the new Chef Client.
 
-* `retry_on_error (list of integers)` - (Optional) The error codes upon which Terraform should
+* `retry_on_error (array)` - (Optional) The error codes upon which Terraform should
   gracefully retry the provisioning process. Intended for use with
   [Chef RFC062 codes](https://github.com/chef-boneyard/chef-rfc/blob/master/rfc062-exit-status.md).
+  (Defaults to `[35, 37, 213]`)
 
 * `run_list (array)` - (Optional) A list with recipes that will be invoked during the initial
   Chef Client run. The run-list will also be saved to the Chef Server after a successful