diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fc71619d..9599a038 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@ Options:
 - `backoff`: Windows only. Rate of exponential backoff for async
   removal in case of `EBUSY`, `EMFILE`, and `ENFILE` errors.
   Should be a number greater than 1. Default `1.2`
-- `maxBackoff`: Windows only. Maximum backoff time in ms to
+- `maxBackoff`: Windows only. Maximum total backoff time in ms to
   attempt asynchronous retries in case of `EBUSY`, `EMFILE`, and
-  `ENFILE` errors. Default `100`
+  `ENFILE` errors. Default `200`. With the default `1.2` backoff
+  rate, this results in 14 retries, with the final retry being
+  delayed 33ms.
 
 Any other options are provided to the native Node.js `fs.rm` implementation
 when that is used.
diff --git a/lib/retry-busy.js b/lib/retry-busy.js
index 03cf8bf1..af7286a4 100644
--- a/lib/retry-busy.js
+++ b/lib/retry-busy.js
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
-const MAXBACKOFF = 100
+// note: max backoff is the maximum that any *single* backoff will do
+//
+const MAXBACKOFF = 200
 const RATE = 1.2
 const MAXRETRIES = 10
 
 const codes = new Set(['EMFILE', 'ENFILE', 'EBUSY'])
 const retryBusy = fn => {
-  const method = async (path, opt, backoff = 1) => {
+  const method = async (path, opt, backoff = 1, total = 0) => {
     const mbo = opt.maxBackoff || MAXBACKOFF
     const rate = opt.backoff || RATE
     const max = opt.retries || MAXRETRIES
@@ -15,10 +17,11 @@ const retryBusy = fn => {
       } catch (er) {
         if (codes.has(er.code)) {
           backoff = Math.ceil(backoff * rate)
-          if (backoff < mbo) {
+          total = backoff + total
+          if (total < mbo) {
             return new Promise((res, rej) => {
               setTimeout(() => {
-                method(path, opt, backoff).then(res, rej)
+                method(path, opt, backoff, total).then(res, rej)
               }, backoff)
             })
           }
@@ -56,6 +59,10 @@ const retryBusySync = fn => {
 }
 
 module.exports = {
+  MAXBACKOFF,
+  RATE,
+  MAXRETRIES,
+  codes,
   retryBusy,
   retryBusySync,
 }
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/retry-busy.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/retry-busy.js.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90e77bc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/retry-busy.js.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/* IMPORTANT
+ * This snapshot file is auto-generated, but designed for humans.
+ * It should be checked into source control and tracked carefully.
+ * Re-generate by setting TAP_SNAPSHOT=1 and running tests.
+ * Make sure to inspect the output below.  Do not ignore changes!
+ */
+'use strict'
+exports[`test/retry-busy.js TAP > default settings 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "codes": Set {
+    "EMFILE",
+    "ENFILE",
+    "EBUSY",
+  },
+  "MAXBACKOFF": 200,
+  "MAXRETRIES": 10,
+  "RATE": 1.2,
+}
+`
diff --git a/test/retry-busy.js b/test/retry-busy.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a16f7031
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/retry-busy.js
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+const {
+  retryBusy,
+  retryBusySync,
+  MAXBACKOFF,
+  RATE,
+  MAXRETRIES,
+  codes,
+} = require('../lib/retry-busy.js')
+
+const t = require('tap')
+
+t.matchSnapshot(
+  {
+    MAXBACKOFF,
+    RATE,
+    MAXRETRIES,
+    codes,
+  },
+  'default settings'
+)
+
+t.test('basic working operation when no errors happen', async t => {
+  let calls = 0
+  const arg = {}
+  const opt = {}
+  const method = (a, b) => {
+    t.equal(a, arg, 'got first argument')
+    t.equal(b, undefined, 'did not get another argument')
+    calls++
+  }
+  const rBS = retryBusySync(method)
+  rBS(arg, opt)
+  t.equal(calls, 1)
+  const rB = retryBusy(method)
+  await rB(arg, opt).then(() => t.equal(calls, 2))
+})
+
+t.test('retry when known error code thrown', t => {
+  t.plan(codes.size)
+
+  for (const code of codes) {
+    t.test(code, async t => {
+      let thrown = false
+      let calls = 0
+      const arg = {}
+      const opt = {}
+      const method = (a, b) => {
+        t.equal(a, arg, 'got first argument')
+        t.equal(b, undefined, 'did not get another argument')
+        if (!thrown) {
+          thrown = true
+          t.equal(calls, 0, 'first call')
+          calls++
+          throw Object.assign(new Error(code), { code })
+        } else {
+          t.equal(calls, 1, 'second call')
+          calls++
+          thrown = false
+        }
+      }
+      const rBS = retryBusySync(method)
+      rBS(arg, opt)
+      t.equal(calls, 2)
+      calls = 0
+      const rB = retryBusy(method)
+      await rB(arg, opt).then(() => t.equal(calls, 2))
+    })
+  }
+})
+
+t.test('retry and eventually give up', t => {
+  t.plan(codes.size)
+  const opt = {
+    maxBackoff: 2,
+    retries: 2,
+  }
+
+  for (const code of codes) {
+    t.test(code, async t => {
+      let calls = 0
+      const arg = {}
+      const method = (a, b) => {
+        t.equal(a, arg, 'got first argument')
+        t.equal(b, undefined, 'did not get another argument')
+        calls++
+        throw Object.assign(new Error(code), { code })
+      }
+      const rBS = retryBusySync(method)
+      t.throws(() => rBS(arg, opt), { code })
+      t.equal(calls, 3)
+      calls = 0
+      const rB = retryBusy(method)
+      await t.rejects(rB(arg, opt)).then(() => t.equal(calls, 3))
+    })
+  }
+})
+
+t.test('throw unknown error gives up right away', async t => {
+  const arg = {}
+  const opt = {}
+  const method = (a, b) => {
+    t.equal(a, arg, 'got first argument')
+    t.equal(b, undefined, 'did not get another argument')
+    throw Object.assign(new Error('nope'), { code: 'nope' })
+  }
+  const rBS = retryBusySync(method)
+  t.throws(() => rBS(arg, opt), { code: 'nope' })
+  const rB = retryBusy(method)
+  await t.rejects(rB(arg, opt), { code: 'nope' })
+})