diff --git a/src/client/metadataTransfer.ts b/src/client/metadataTransfer.ts
index 78fb58cfcb..891e5a6cbd 100644
--- a/src/client/metadataTransfer.ts
+++ b/src/client/metadataTransfer.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import { MetadataConverter, SfdxFileFormat } from '../convert';
 import { MetadataTransferError } from '../errors';
 import { ComponentSet } from '../collections';
 import { AsyncResult, MetadataRequestStatus, MetadataTransferResult, RequestStatus } from './types';
-
 export interface MetadataTransferOptions {
   usernameOrConnection: string | Connection;
   components?: ComponentSet;
@@ -191,10 +190,25 @@ export abstract class MetadataTransfer<Status extends MetadataRequestStatus, Res
       completed = true;
       this.canceled = false;
     } else {
-      mdapiStatus = await this.checkStatus();
-      completed = mdapiStatus?.done;
-      if (!completed) {
-        this.event.emit('update', mdapiStatus);
+      try {
+        mdapiStatus = await this.checkStatus();
+        completed = mdapiStatus?.done;
+        if (!completed) {
+          this.event.emit('update', mdapiStatus);
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        this.logger.error(e);
+        // tolerate intermittent network errors upto retry limit
+        if (
+          ['ETIMEDOUT', 'ENOTFOUND', 'ECONNRESET', 'socket hang up'].some((retryableNetworkError) =>
+            (e as Error).message.includes(retryableNetworkError)
+          )
+        ) {
+          this.logger.debug('Network error on the request', e);
+          await Lifecycle.getInstance().emitWarning('Network error occurred.  Continuing to poll.');
+          return { completed: false };
+        }
+        throw e;
       }
     }
     this.logger.debug(`MDAPI status update: ${mdapiStatus.status}`);
diff --git a/test/client/metadataTransfer.test.ts b/test/client/metadataTransfer.test.ts
index a3430d4e83..90f4de36c5 100644
--- a/test/client/metadataTransfer.test.ts
+++ b/test/client/metadataTransfer.test.ts
@@ -215,7 +215,6 @@ describe('MetadataTransfer', () => {
       const originalError = new Error('whoops');
       const expectedError = new MetadataTransferError('md_request_fail', originalError.message);
       checkStatus.throws(originalError);
-
       let error: Error;
       operation.onError((e) => (error = e));
       await operation.pollStatus();
@@ -224,6 +223,18 @@ describe('MetadataTransfer', () => {
       expect(error.message).to.deep.equal(expectedError.message);
     });
 
+    it('should tolerate network errors', async () => {
+      const { checkStatus } = operation.lifecycle;
+      const networkError1 = new Error('something something ETIMEDOUT something');
+      const networkError2 = new Error('something something ENOTFOUND something');
+      checkStatus.onFirstCall().throws(networkError1);
+      checkStatus.onSecondCall().throws(networkError2);
+      checkStatus.onThirdCall().resolves({ done: true });
+
+      await operation.pollStatus();
+      expect(checkStatus.callCount).to.equal(3);
+    });
+
     it('should throw wrapped error if there are no error listeners', async () => {
       const { checkStatus } = operation.lifecycle;
       const originalError = new Error('whoops');