diff --git a/heat/engine/sync_point.py b/heat/engine/sync_point.py
index 0ea8dd2048..09f92365d0 100644
--- a/heat/engine/sync_point.py
+++ b/heat/engine/sync_point.py
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import ast
-import eventlet
-import random
 import six
+import tenacity
 
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
@@ -116,25 +115,55 @@ def serialize_input_data(input_data):
     return {'input_data': _serialize(input_data)}
 
 
+class wait_random_exponential(tenacity.wait_exponential):
+    """Random wait strategy with a geometrically increasing amount of jitter.
+
+    Implements the truncated binary exponential backoff algorithm as used in
+    e.g. CSMA media access control. The retry occurs at a random time in a
+    (geometrically) expanding interval constrained by minimum and maximum
+    limits.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, min=0, multiplier=1, max=tenacity._utils.MAX_WAIT,
+                 exp_base=2):
+        super(wait_random_exponential, self).__init__(multiplier=multiplier,
+                                                      max=(max-min),
+                                                      exp_base=exp_base)
+        self._random = tenacity.wait_random(min=min, max=(min + multiplier))
+
+    def __call__(self, previous_attempt_number, delay_since_first_attempt):
+        jitter = super(wait_random_exponential,
+                       self).__call__(previous_attempt_number,
+                                      delay_since_first_attempt)
+        self._random.wait_random_max = self._random.wait_random_min + jitter
+        return self._random(previous_attempt_number, delay_since_first_attempt)
+
+
 def sync(cnxt, entity_id, current_traversal, is_update, propagate,
          predecessors, new_data):
-    rows_updated = None
-    sync_point = None
-    input_data = None
-    nconflicts = max(0, len(predecessors) - 2)
-    # limit to 10 seconds
-    max_wt = min(nconflicts * 0.01, 10)
-    while not rows_updated:
+    # Retry waits up to 60 seconds at most, with exponentially increasing
+    # amounts of jitter per resource still outstanding
+    wait_strategy = wait_random_exponential(max=60)
+
+    def init_jitter(existing_input_data):
+        nconflicts = max(0, len(predecessors) - len(existing_input_data) - 1)
+        # 10ms per potential conflict, up to a max of 10s in total
+        return min(nconflicts, 1000) * 0.01
+
+    @tenacity.retry(
+        retry=tenacity.retry_if_result(lambda r: r is None),
+        wait=wait_strategy
+    )
+    def _sync():
         sync_point = get(cnxt, entity_id, current_traversal, is_update)
         input_data = deserialize_input_data(sync_point.input_data)
+        wait_strategy.multiplier = init_jitter(input_data)
         input_data.update(new_data)
         rows_updated = update_input_data(
             cnxt, entity_id, current_traversal, is_update,
             sync_point.atomic_key, serialize_input_data(input_data))
-        # don't aggressively spin; induce some sleep
-        if not rows_updated:
-            eventlet.sleep(random.uniform(0, max_wt))
+        return input_data if rows_updated else None
 
+    input_data = _sync()
     waiting = predecessors - set(input_data)
     key = make_key(entity_id, current_traversal, is_update)
     if waiting:
diff --git a/heat/tests/engine/test_sync_point.py b/heat/tests/engine/test_sync_point.py
index 615f70cd32..cbe03d1641 100644
--- a/heat/tests/engine/test_sync_point.py
+++ b/heat/tests/engine/test_sync_point.py
@@ -74,15 +74,16 @@ class SyncPointTestCase(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual({'input_data': {u'tuple:(3, 8)': None}}, res)
 
     @mock.patch('heat.engine.sync_point.update_input_data', return_value=None)
-    @mock.patch('eventlet.sleep', side_effect=exception.DBError)
+    @mock.patch('time.sleep', side_effect=exception.DBError)
     def sync_with_sleep(self, ctx, stack, mock_sleep_time, mock_uid):
         resource = stack['C']
         graph = stack.convergence_dependencies.graph()
 
         mock_callback = mock.Mock()
+        sender = (3, True)
         self.assertRaises(exception.DBError, sync_point.sync, ctx, resource.id,
                           stack.current_traversal, True, mock_callback,
-                          set(graph[(resource.id, True)]), {})
+                          set(graph[(resource.id, True)]), {sender: None})
         return mock_sleep_time
 
     def test_sync_with_time_throttle(self):
@@ -92,4 +93,4 @@ class SyncPointTestCase(common.HeatTestCase):
                                 convergence=True)
         stack.converge_stack(stack.t, action=stack.CREATE)
         mock_sleep_time = self.sync_with_sleep(ctx, stack)
-        mock_sleep_time.assert_called_once_with(mock.ANY)
+        self.assertTrue(mock_sleep_time.called)