diff --git a/usr/share/rear/conf/default.conf b/usr/share/rear/conf/default.conf
index 3be1552..b392d6d 100644
--- a/usr/share/rear/conf/default.conf
+++ b/usr/share/rear/conf/default.conf
@@ -409,6 +409,16 @@ PXE_REMOVE_OLD_LINKS=
 # Default is empty which means prompting what to do next and after a timeout boot next option defined by BIOS
 PXE_RECOVER_MODE=
 
+# Certain operation might need longer time to kick in and more retries might be desirable.
+# REAR_SLEEP_DELAY (in sec.) is general delay for operation.
+REAR_SLEEP_DELAY=1
+# REAR_MAX_RETRIES is maximum number of attempts that should be executed before operation is aborted.
+# Maximum timeout for operation calculates as REAR_SLEEP_DELAY * REAR_MAX_RETRIES
+# This retries / timeout operation is currently implemented only in get_disk_size (),
+# so if you have trouble with error messages like:
+# 'Could not determine size of disk <device> ...' tweaking of REAR_SLEEP_DELAY and REAR_MAX_RETRIES might help.
+REAR_MAX_RETRIES=5
+
 ##
 # internal BACKUP stuff
 ##
diff --git a/usr/share/rear/lib/layout-functions.sh b/usr/share/rear/lib/layout-functions.sh
index 75a59bb..052a752 100644
--- a/usr/share/rear/lib/layout-functions.sh
+++ b/usr/share/rear/lib/layout-functions.sh
@@ -530,8 +530,7 @@ get_disk_size() {
 
     local block_size=$(get_block_size ${disk_name%/*})
 
-    [ -r /sys/block/$disk_name/size ]
-    BugIfError "Could not determine size of disk $disk_name, please file a bug."
+    retry_command test -r /sys/block/$disk_name/size || Error "Could not determine size of disk $disk_name"
 
     local nr_blocks=$( < /sys/block/$disk_name/size)
     local disk_size=$(( nr_blocks * block_size ))
@@ -586,3 +585,25 @@ is_disk_a_pv() {
         return 1
     fi
 }
+
+# retry_command () is binded with REAR_SLEEP_DELAY and REAR_MAX_RETRIES.
+# This function will do maximum of REAR_MAX_RETRIES command execution
+# and will sleep REAR_SLEEP_DELAY after each unsuccessful command execution.
+# It outputs command stdout if succeeded or returns 1 on failure.
+retry_command ()
+{
+    local retry=0
+
+    until command_stdout=$(eval "$@"); do
+        sleep $REAR_SLEEP_DELAY
+
+        let retry++
+
+        if (( retry >= REAR_MAX_RETRIES )) ; then
+            Log "retry_command '$*' failed"
+            return 1
+        fi
+    done
+    # Have no additional trailing newline for the command stdout:
+    echo -n "$command_stdout"
+}