diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/DeviceActions.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/DeviceActions.pm
index 62bfbe6c..09d6a558 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/DeviceActions.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/DeviceActions.pm
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ sub _set_device_generic {
 
   # snmp connect using rw community
   my $info = snmp_connect_rw($ip)
-    or return job_error("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to update $slot");
+    or return job_defer("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to update $slot");
 
   my $method = 'set_'. $slot;
   my $rv = $info->$method($data);
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/PortActions.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/PortActions.pm
index e34d49e4..549fcb89 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/PortActions.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Interactive/PortActions.pm
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ sub _set_port_generic {
   if ($device->vendor ne 'netdisco') {
       # snmp connect using rw community
       my $info = snmp_connect_rw($ip)
-        or return job_error("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to control port");
+        or return job_defer("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to control port");
 
       my $iid = get_iid($info, $port)
         or return job_error("Failed to get port ID for [$pn] from [$ip]");
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ sub power {
 
   # snmp connect using rw community
   my $info = snmp_connect_rw($ip)
-    or return job_error("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to control port");
+    or return job_defer("Failed to connect to device [$ip] to control power");
 
   my $powerid = get_powerid($info, $port)
     or return job_error("Failed to get power ID for [$pn] from [$ip]");
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Common.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Common.pm
index 8c08dea2..96e66f94 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Common.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Common.pm
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ sub _single_body {
 
   my $snmp = snmp_connect($device);
   if (!defined $snmp) {
-      return job_error("$job_type failed: could not SNMP connect to $host");
+      return job_defer("$job_type failed: could not SNMP connect to $host");
   }
 
   unless ($snmp->has_layer( $job_layer )) {
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Device.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Device.pm
index ce9cc2b2..b1f641ac 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Device.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Backend/Worker/Poller/Device.pm
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ sub discover {
 
   my $snmp = snmp_connect($device);
   if (!defined $snmp) {
-      return job_error("discover failed: could not SNMP connect to $host");
+      return job_defer("discover failed: could not SNMP connect to $host");
   }
 
   store_device($device, $snmp);