diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/app/GossipApplicationStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/app/GossipApplicationStore.java
index 936cf4e..b6c3b98 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/app/GossipApplicationStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/app/GossipApplicationStore.java
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@
 
 import static com.google.common.io.ByteStreams.toByteArray;
 import static java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS;
-import static org.onlab.util.Tools.delay;
 import static org.onlab.util.Tools.groupedThreads;
+import static org.onlab.util.Tools.randomDelay;
 import static org.onosproject.app.ApplicationEvent.Type.*;
 import static org.onosproject.store.app.GossipApplicationStore.InternalState.*;
 import static org.onosproject.store.service.EventuallyConsistentMapEvent.Type.PUT;
@@ -83,11 +83,10 @@
 
     private static final MessageSubject APP_BITS_REQUEST = new MessageSubject("app-bits-request");
 
-    private static final int MAX_LOAD_RETRIES = 3;
+    private static final int MAX_LOAD_RETRIES = 5;
     private static final int RETRY_DELAY_MS = 2_000;
 
     private static final int FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
-    private static final int LOAD_TIMEOUT_MS = 5_000;
 
     public enum InternalState {
         INSTALLED, ACTIVATED, DEACTIVATED
@@ -169,7 +168,7 @@
                     }
                 } catch (Exception e) {
                     log.warn("Unable to load application {} from disk; retrying", name);
-                    delay(RETRY_DELAY_MS);  // FIXME: This is a deliberate hack; fix in Drake
+                    randomDelay(RETRY_DELAY_MS);  // FIXME: This is a deliberate hack; fix in Drake
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/core/impl/ConsistentIdBlockStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/core/impl/ConsistentIdBlockStore.java
index a421459..8924423 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/core/impl/ConsistentIdBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/core/impl/ConsistentIdBlockStore.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import static org.onlab.util.Tools.delay;
+import static org.onlab.util.Tools.randomDelay;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
 /**
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 @Service
 public class ConsistentIdBlockStore implements IdBlockStore {
 
-    private static final int MAX_TRIES = 3;
+    private static final int MAX_TRIES = 5;
     private static final int RETRY_DELAY_MS = 2_000;
 
     private final Logger log = getLogger(getClass());
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
                 log.warn("Unable to allocate ID block due to {}; retrying...",
                          e.getMessage());
                 exc = e;
-                delay(RETRY_DELAY_MS); // FIXME: This is a deliberate hack; fix in Drake
+                randomDelay(RETRY_DELAY_MS); // FIXME: This is a deliberate hack; fix in Drake
             }
         }
         throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to allocate ID block", exc);
diff --git a/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/Tools.java b/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/Tools.java
index d9eb111..73c8802 100644
--- a/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/Tools.java
+++ b/utils/misc/src/main/java/org/onlab/util/Tools.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Dictionary;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.Future;
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@
 
     private static final Logger log = getLogger(Tools.class);
 
+    private static Random random = new Random();
+
     /**
      * Returns a thread factory that produces threads named according to the
      * supplied name pattern.
@@ -195,6 +198,20 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Suspends the current thread for a random number of millis between 0 and
+     * the indicated limit.
+     *
+     * @param ms max number of millis
+     */
+    public static void randomDelay(int ms) {
+        try {
+            Thread.sleep(random.nextInt(ms));
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Interrupted", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Suspends the current thread for a specified number of millis and nanos.
      *
      * @param ms    number of millis