diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/DatabaseClient.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/DatabaseClient.java
index bd898b6..72e4b95 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/DatabaseClient.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/DatabaseClient.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 
 import net.kuujo.copycat.Copycat;
 import net.kuujo.copycat.event.EventHandler;
@@ -28,6 +30,10 @@
  */
 public class DatabaseClient {
 
+    private static final int RETRIES = 5;
+
+    private static final int TIMEOUT_MS = 2000;
+
     private final Logger log = getLogger(getClass());
 
     private final Copycat copycat;
@@ -109,9 +115,20 @@
 
     public Set<String> listTables() {
         waitForLeader();
-        CompletableFuture<Set<String>> future = copycat.submit("listTables");
         try {
-            return future.get();
+            for (int i = 0; i < RETRIES; ++i) {
+                CompletableFuture<Set<String>> future = copycat.submit("listTables");
+                try {
+                    return future.get(TIMEOUT_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+                } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+                    log.debug("Timed out retrying {}", i);
+                    future.cancel(true);
+                    waitForLeader();
+                }
+            }
+            // TODO: proper timeout handling
+            log.error("Timed out");
+            return Collections.emptySet();
         } catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException e) {
             throw new DatabaseException(e);
         }
@@ -121,9 +138,11 @@
         waitForLeader();
         CompletableFuture<List<ReadResult>> future = copycat.submit("read", batchRequest);
         try {
-            return future.get();
+            return future.get(TIMEOUT_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
         } catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException e) {
             throw new DatabaseException(e);
+        } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+            throw new DatabaseException(e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -131,9 +150,11 @@
         waitForLeader();
         CompletableFuture<List<WriteResult>> future = copycat.submit("write", batchRequest);
         try {
-            return future.get();
+            return future.get(TIMEOUT_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
         } catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException e) {
             throw new DatabaseException(e);
+        } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+            throw new DatabaseException(e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -141,9 +162,11 @@
         waitForLeader();
         CompletableFuture<Map<String, VersionedValue>> future = copycat.submit("getAll", tableName);
         try {
-            return future.get();
+            return future.get(TIMEOUT_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
         } catch (InterruptedException | ExecutionException e) {
             throw new DatabaseException(e);
+        } catch (TimeoutException e) {
+            throw new DatabaseException(e);
         }
     }
 }