diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
index 53f07b44..3930fc87 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
@@ -311,10 +311,10 @@ async def start(self, delete_unless_authenticated: bool = False) -> AbstractUser
             try:
                 await self.client.connect()
             except Exception:
-                self.log.exception("Exception connecting to Telegram, retrying in 5s...")
                 attempts += 1
                 if attempts > 10:
                     raise
+                self.log.exception("Exception connecting to Telegram, retrying in 5s...")
                 await asyncio.sleep(5)
         self.log.debug(f"{'Bot' if self.is_relaybot else self.mxid} connected: {self.connected}")
         return self