diff --git a/packages/lnbits/src/__tests__/retry.test.ts b/packages/lnbits/src/__tests__/retry.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a57b45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lnbits/src/__tests__/retry.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { withRetry } from '../retry.js'
+import { LnbitsErrorCode, LnbitsRpcError } from '../error-codes.js'
+
+const noSleep = () => Promise.resolve()
+
+function rpcErr(code: LnbitsErrorCode): LnbitsRpcError {
+  return new LnbitsRpcError({ code, rpcName: 'get_wallet', requestId: 'r1' })
+}
+
+/** A fn that throws `err` the first `failTimes` calls, then returns `value`. */
+function failingFn<T>(failTimes: number, err: unknown, value: T): { fn: () => Promise<T>; calls: () => number } {
+  let calls = 0
+  return {
+    fn: async () => {
+      calls++
+      if (calls <= failTimes) throw err
+      return value
+    },
+    calls: () => calls,
+  }
+}
+
+describe('withRetry', () => {
+  it('returns immediately on success (one call)', async () => {
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(0, rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.InternalError), 'ok')
+    expect(await withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).toBe('ok')
+    expect(calls()).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  it('retries a transient operator_signer_unavailable, then succeeds', async () => {
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(1, rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.OperatorSignerUnavailable), 'ok')
+    expect(await withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).toBe('ok')
+    expect(calls()).toBe(2)
+  })
+
+  it('retries rate_limited (long backoff) up to maxAttempts then throws', async () => {
+    const err = rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.RateLimited)
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(99, err, 'never')
+    await expect(withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep, maxAttempts: 3 })).rejects.toBe(err)
+    expect(calls()).toBe(3)
+  })
+
+  it('internal_error (retry-once) retries exactly once', async () => {
+    const err = rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.InternalError)
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(99, err, 'never')
+    await expect(withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep, maxAttempts: 5 })).rejects.toBe(err)
+    expect(calls()).toBe(2) // initial + one retry, then null delay stops it
+  })
+
+  it('throws a terminal error immediately (no retry)', async () => {
+    const err = rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.InsufficientBalance)
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(99, err, 'never')
+    await expect(withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).rejects.toBe(err)
+    expect(calls()).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  it('treats unauthorized as terminal (no retry)', async () => {
+    const err = rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.Unauthorized)
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(99, err, 'never')
+    await expect(withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).rejects.toBe(err)
+    expect(calls()).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  it('retries a transport timeout error', async () => {
+    const timeout = new Error('LnbitsClient.get_wallet: timeout after 30000ms')
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(1, timeout, 'ok')
+    expect(await withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).toBe('ok')
+    expect(calls()).toBe(2)
+  })
+
+  it('does NOT retry an unknown error (rethrows immediately)', async () => {
+    const boom = new Error('relay socket closed')
+    const { fn, calls } = failingFn(99, boom, 'never')
+    await expect(withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep })).rejects.toBe(boom)
+    expect(calls()).toBe(1)
+  })
+
+  it('backs off with increasing delay per attempt (retry-backoff)', async () => {
+    const delays: number[] = []
+    const err = rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.OperatorSignerUnavailable)
+    const { fn } = failingFn(99, err, 'never')
+    await expect(
+      withRetry(fn, { sleep: (ms) => { delays.push(ms); return Promise.resolve() }, maxAttempts: 3 })
+    ).rejects.toBe(err)
+    expect(delays).toEqual([200, 400]) // before attempt 2 and 3; attempt 3 is last → no 3rd sleep
+  })
+
+  it('invokes onRetry with attempt/delay/error', async () => {
+    const onRetry = vi.fn()
+    const { fn } = failingFn(1, rpcErr(LnbitsErrorCode.OperatorSignerUnavailable), 'ok')
+    await withRetry(fn, { sleep: noSleep, onRetry })
+    expect(onRetry).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    expect(onRetry.mock.calls[0]![0]).toMatchObject({ attempt: 1, delayMs: 200 })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/lnbits/src/client.ts b/packages/lnbits/src/client.ts
index 946df5d..de408a1 100644
--- a/packages/lnbits/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/lnbits/src/client.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
 } from '@bitSpire/nostr-client'
 import { verifyEvent } from 'nostr-tools'
 import { LnbitsRpcError } from './error-codes.js'
+import { withRetry } from './retry.js'
 
 import type {
   LnbitsConfig,
@@ -155,6 +156,22 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
     this.startReplyListener()
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Retry-policy switch for IDEMPOTENT reads only (aiolabs/bitspire#52, Phase D).
+   * Transient failures (operator_signer_unavailable / rate_limited /
+   * internal_error / transport timeout) back off and retry; terminal errors
+   * surface immediately. Never used for pay/create — those would double-pay or
+   * duplicate on retry.
+   */
+  private idempotent<T>(fn: () => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
+    return withRetry(fn, {
+      onRetry: ({ attempt, delayMs, error }) => {
+        const code = error instanceof LnbitsRpcError ? error.code : 'timeout'
+        console.warn(`[LnbitsClient] transient ${code} — retry ${attempt} in ${delayMs}ms`)
+      },
+    })
+  }
+
   // ============================================================================
   // Wallet
   // ============================================================================
@@ -166,8 +183,7 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
    */
   async getWallet(walletId?: string): Promise<WalletInfo> {
     if (walletId) {
-      const data = await this.sendRpc<WalletInfo>('get_wallet', { walletId })
-      return data
+      return this.idempotent(() => this.sendRpc<WalletInfo>('get_wallet', { walletId }))
     }
     const wallets = await this.listWallets()
     if (wallets.length === 0) {
@@ -188,7 +204,7 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
 
   /** Enumerate every wallet owned by the calling account. */
   async listWallets(): Promise<WalletInfo[]> {
-    const data = await this.sendRpc<WalletInfo[]>('list_wallets', {})
+    const data = await this.idempotent(() => this.sendRpc<WalletInfo[]>('list_wallets', {}))
     return data ?? []
   }
 
@@ -196,6 +212,10 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
   // Invoices
   // ============================================================================
 
+  // NOTE: create_invoice / pay_invoice / lnurlw_create_link are NOT wrapped in
+  // `idempotent()` — a retry would mint a duplicate invoice/link or double-pay.
+  // Their errors surface for flow-level handling (state machine / operator).
+
   async createInvoice(walletId: string, body: CreateInvoiceBody): Promise<LnbitsPayment> {
     const data = await this.sendRpc<LnbitsPayment>('create_invoice', { walletId, body })
     return data
@@ -208,17 +228,20 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
 
   /** Point-lookup of a payment by hash. AUTH_NONE — hashes are hard to guess. */
   async getPayment(paymentHash: string): Promise<LnbitsPayment | null> {
-    const data = await this.sendRpc<LnbitsPayment | null>('get_payment', {
-      body: { payment_hash: paymentHash },
-    })
+    const data = await this.idempotent(() =>
+      this.sendRpc<LnbitsPayment | null>('get_payment', {
+        body: { payment_hash: paymentHash },
+      }),
+    )
     return data ?? null
   }
 
   async decodePayment(paymentRequest: string): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
-    const data = await this.sendRpc<Record<string, unknown>>('decode_payment', {
-      body: { payment_request: paymentRequest },
-    })
-    return data
+    return this.idempotent(() =>
+      this.sendRpc<Record<string, unknown>>('decode_payment', {
+        body: { payment_request: paymentRequest },
+      }),
+    )
   }
 
   // ============================================================================
@@ -366,18 +389,21 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
   }
 
   async getWithdrawLink(walletId: string, id: string): Promise<LnbitsWithdrawLink> {
-    const data = await this.sendRpc<LnbitsWithdrawLink>('lnurlw_get_link', { walletId, body: { id } })
-    return data
+    return this.idempotent(() =>
+      this.sendRpc<LnbitsWithdrawLink>('lnurlw_get_link', { walletId, body: { id } }),
+    )
   }
 
   async listWithdrawLinks(
     walletId: string | undefined,
     body: { limit?: number; offset?: number } = {},
   ): Promise<{ data: LnbitsWithdrawLink[]; total: number }> {
-    return this.sendRpc<{ data: LnbitsWithdrawLink[]; total: number }>('lnurlw_list_links', {
-      walletId,
-      body,
-    })
+    return this.idempotent(() =>
+      this.sendRpc<{ data: LnbitsWithdrawLink[]; total: number }>('lnurlw_list_links', {
+        walletId,
+        body,
+      }),
+    )
   }
 
   /**
@@ -387,10 +413,12 @@ export class LnbitsClient {
    * — the URL a customer wallet GETs to redeem that specific sub-link.
    */
   async getWithdrawLinkUniqueHashes(walletId: string, id: string): Promise<UniqueHashesResponse> {
-    return this.sendRpc<UniqueHashesResponse>('lnurlw_unique_hashes', {
-      walletId,
-      body: { id },
-    })
+    return this.idempotent(() =>
+      this.sendRpc<UniqueHashesResponse>('lnurlw_unique_hashes', {
+        walletId,
+        body: { id },
+      }),
+    )
   }
 
   async updateWithdrawLink(
diff --git a/packages/lnbits/src/index.ts b/packages/lnbits/src/index.ts
index 10e0f05..2085593 100644
--- a/packages/lnbits/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/lnbits/src/index.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export {
   retryPolicyFor,
 } from './error-codes.js'
 export type { RetryPolicy } from './error-codes.js'
+export { withRetry } from './retry.js'
+export type { WithRetryOptions } from './retry.js'
 export type {
   LnbitsConfig,
   LnbitsRpcRequest,
diff --git a/packages/lnbits/src/retry.ts b/packages/lnbits/src/retry.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0495859
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lnbits/src/retry.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+/**
+ * Retry policy switch for the nostr-transport (aiolabs/bitspire#52, Phase D).
+ *
+ * Retries an operation according to the *disposition* of the error it throws —
+ * the machine-readable `retryPolicy` carried by `LnbitsRpcError` (which mirrors
+ * the lnbits canonical enum). Transient conditions back off and retry;
+ * terminal ones throw immediately.
+ *
+ * ⚠️ ONLY wrap IDEMPOTENT operations. A blind retry of `pay_invoice` could
+ * double-pay, and of `create_invoice` / `lnurlw_create_link` would mint
+ * duplicates — those surface their error for flow-level handling (the state
+ * machine / operator) instead. See LnbitsClient for which methods opt in.
+ */
+
+import { LnbitsRpcError, type RetryPolicy } from './error-codes.js'
+
+export interface WithRetryOptions {
+  /** Max total attempts (default 3). */
+  maxAttempts?: number
+  /** Injectable sleep (tests pass a fake-timer-friendly version). */
+  sleep?: (ms: number) => Promise<void>
+  /** Called before each backoff wait — useful for logging. */
+  onRetry?: (info: { attempt: number; delayMs: number; error: unknown }) => void
+}
+
+const DEFAULT_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 3
+
+/** Backoff (ms) for the Nth attempt (1-based), or null if the policy is terminal. */
+function backoffMs(policy: RetryPolicy, attempt: number): number | null {
+  switch (policy) {
+    case 'retry-backoff':
+      return 200 * 2 ** (attempt - 1) // 200, 400, 800…
+    case 'retry-long-backoff':
+      return 1_000 * 2 ** (attempt - 1) // 1s, 2s, 4s… (rate_limited)
+    case 'retry-once':
+      return attempt === 1 ? 0 : null // exactly one retry (internal_error / absent code)
+    case 'terminal':
+    case 'terminal-idempotent':
+      return null
+  }
+}
+
+/** Retry delay for an error, or null if it must not be retried. */
+function delayForError(error: unknown, attempt: number): number | null {
+  if (error instanceof LnbitsRpcError) {
+    return backoffMs(error.retryPolicy, attempt)
+  }
+  // A transport timeout from sendRpc ("…: timeout after <n>ms") is transient.
+  if (error instanceof Error && /timeout after \d+ms/.test(error.message)) {
+    return 200 * 2 ** (attempt - 1)
+  }
+  // Unknown error (programming bug, network teardown) — don't mask it.
+  return null
+}
+
+/**
+ * Run `fn`, retrying transient failures per the error's `retryPolicy` (or a
+ * transport timeout) with backoff, up to `maxAttempts`. Terminal errors and
+ * unknown errors throw immediately; the last error is rethrown on exhaustion.
+ */
+export async function withRetry<T>(fn: () => Promise<T>, opts: WithRetryOptions = {}): Promise<T> {
+  const maxAttempts = opts.maxAttempts ?? DEFAULT_MAX_ATTEMPTS
+  const sleep = opts.sleep ?? ((ms) => new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms)))
+
+  let lastError: unknown
+  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++) {
+    try {
+      return await fn()
+    } catch (error) {
+      lastError = error
+      if (attempt === maxAttempts) break
+      const delayMs = delayForError(error, attempt)
+      if (delayMs === null) throw error
+      opts.onRetry?.({ attempt, delayMs, error })
+      await sleep(delayMs)
+    }
+  }
+  throw lastError
+}