diff --git a/client/restarts.go b/client/restarts.go
index 3f1b41acd..79aff54f3 100644
--- a/client/restarts.go
+++ b/client/restarts.go
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ type RestartTracker struct {
 }
 
 func (r *RestartTracker) NextRestart(exitCode int) (bool, time.Duration) {
+	// Hot path if no attempts are expected
+	if r.policy.Attempts == 0 {
+		return false, 0
+	}
+
 	// Check if we have entered a new interval.
 	end := r.startTime.Add(r.policy.Interval)
 	now := time.Now()
diff --git a/client/restarts_test.go b/client/restarts_test.go
index 4c84193c5..719cbd088 100644
--- a/client/restarts_test.go
+++ b/client/restarts_test.go
@@ -77,5 +77,14 @@ func TestClient_RestartTracker_NoRestartOnSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	if shouldRestart, _ := rt.NextRestart(0); shouldRestart {
 		t.Fatalf("NextRestart() returned %v, expected: %v", shouldRestart, false)
 	}
-
+}
+
+func TestClient_RestartTracker_ZeroAttempts(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	p := testPolicy(true, structs.RestartPolicyModeFail)
+	p.Attempts = 0
+	rt := newRestartTracker(p)
+	if actual, when := rt.NextRestart(1); actual {
+		t.Fatalf("expect no restart, got restart/delay: %v", when)
+	}
 }