diff --git a/nomad/config.go b/nomad/config.go
index 3d3b541a1..b5450d75f 100644
--- a/nomad/config.go
+++ b/nomad/config.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 var (
-	DefaultRPCAddr = &net.TCPAddr{IP: net.ParseIP("0.0.0.0"), Port: 4647}
+	DefaultRPCAddr = &net.TCPAddr{IP: net.ParseIP("127.0.0.1"), Port: 4647}
 )
 
 // Config is used to parameterize the server
diff --git a/nomad/worker.go b/nomad/worker.go
index bcba28ec0..726ef786a 100644
--- a/nomad/worker.go
+++ b/nomad/worker.go
@@ -13,11 +13,19 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// backoffBaseline is the baseline time for exponential backoff
-	backoffBaseline = 20 * time.Millisecond
+	// backoffBaselineFast is the baseline time for exponential backoff
+	backoffBaselineFast = 20 * time.Millisecond
 
-	// backoffLimit is the limit of the exponential backoff
-	backoffLimit = 5 * time.Second
+	// backoffBaselineSlow is the baseline time for exponential backoff
+	// but that is much slower than backoffBaselineFast
+	backoffBaselineSlow = 500 * time.Millisecond
+
+	// backoffLimitFast is the limit of the exponential backoff
+	backoffLimitFast = time.Second
+
+	// backoffLimitSlow is the limit of the exponential backoff for
+	// the slower backoff
+	backoffLimitSlow = 10 * time.Second
 
 	// dequeueTimeout is used to timeout an evaluation dequeue so that
 	// we can check if there is a shutdown event
@@ -132,7 +140,7 @@ REQ:
 	metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"nomad", "worker", "dequeue_eval"}, start)
 	if err != nil {
 		w.logger.Printf("[ERR] worker: failed to dequeue evaluation: %v", err)
-		if w.backoffErr() {
+		if w.backoffErr(backoffBaselineSlow, backoffLimitSlow) {
 			return nil, "", true
 		}
 		goto REQ
@@ -206,7 +214,7 @@ CHECK:
 	}
 
 	// Exponential back off if we haven't yet reached it
-	if w.backoffErr() {
+	if w.backoffErr(backoffBaselineFast, backoffLimitFast) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("shutdown while waiting for state sync")
 	}
 	goto CHECK
@@ -269,7 +277,7 @@ SUBMIT:
 	if err := w.srv.RPC("Plan.Submit", &req, &resp); err != nil {
 		w.logger.Printf("[ERR] worker: failed to submit plan for evaluation %s: %v",
 			plan.EvalID, err)
-		if w.shouldResubmit(err) && !w.backoffErr() {
+		if w.shouldResubmit(err) && !w.backoffErr(backoffBaselineSlow, backoffLimitSlow) {
 			goto SUBMIT
 		}
 		return nil, nil, err
@@ -332,7 +340,7 @@ SUBMIT:
 	if err := w.srv.RPC("Eval.Update", &req, &resp); err != nil {
 		w.logger.Printf("[ERR] worker: failed to update evaluation %#v: %v",
 			eval, err)
-		if w.shouldResubmit(err) && !w.backoffErr() {
+		if w.shouldResubmit(err) && !w.backoffErr(backoffBaselineSlow, backoffLimitSlow) {
 			goto SUBMIT
 		}
 		return err
@@ -362,10 +370,10 @@ func (w *Worker) shouldResubmit(err error) bool {
 // maintained statefully for the worker. Returns if attempts should be
 // abandoneded due to shutdown.
 // be made or abandoned.
-func (w *Worker) backoffErr() bool {
-	backoff := (1 << (2 * w.failures)) * backoffBaseline
-	if backoff > backoffLimit {
-		backoff = backoffLimit
+func (w *Worker) backoffErr(base, limit time.Duration) bool {
+	backoff := (1 << (2 * w.failures)) * base
+	if backoff > limit {
+		backoff = limit
 	} else {
 		w.failures++
 	}