diff --git a/doc/configuration.rst b/doc/configuration.rst
index 528e51f6..2fd50c63 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/configuration.rst
@@ -581,16 +581,16 @@ Options
     (for example) between composes, then Pungi may not respect those changes
     in your new compose.
 
-**signed_packages_retries** = 1
+**signed_packages_retries** = 0
     (*int*) -- In automated workflows a compose may start before signed
     packages are written to disk. In such case it may make sense to wait for
     the package to appear on storage. This option controls how many times to
-    try to look for the signed copy.
+    retry looking for the signed copy.
 
 **signed_packages_wait** = 30
     (*int*) -- Interval in seconds for how long to wait between attemts to find
     signed packages. This option only makes sense when
-    ``signed_packages_retries`` is set higher than to 1.
+    ``signed_packages_retries`` is set higher than to 0.
 
 
 Example
diff --git a/pungi/checks.py b/pungi/checks.py
index c8b73421..336a3378 100644
--- a/pungi/checks.py
+++ b/pungi/checks.py
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ def make_schema():
                 "minItems": 1,
                 "default": [None],
             },
-            "signed_packages_retries": {"type": "number", "default": 1},
+            "signed_packages_retries": {"type": "number", "default": 0},
             "signed_packages_wait": {"type": "number", "default": 30},
             "variants_file": {"$ref": "#/definitions/str_or_scm_dict"},
             "comps_file": {"$ref": "#/definitions/str_or_scm_dict"},
diff --git a/pungi/phases/pkgset/pkgsets.py b/pungi/phases/pkgset/pkgsets.py
index e10a79bf..4b9c3fe8 100644
--- a/pungi/phases/pkgset/pkgsets.py
+++ b/pungi/phases/pkgset/pkgsets.py
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ class KojiPackageSet(PackageSetBase):
         cache_region=None,
         extra_builds=None,
         extra_tasks=None,
-        signed_packages_retries=1,
+        signed_packages_retries=0,
         signed_packages_wait=30,
     ):
         """
@@ -515,8 +515,8 @@ class KojiPackageSet(PackageSetBase):
         pathinfo = self.koji_wrapper.koji_module.pathinfo
         paths = []
 
-        retries = self.signed_packages_retries
-        while retries > 0:
+        attempts_left = self.signed_packages_retries + 1
+        while attempts_left > 0:
             for sigkey in self.sigkey_ordering:
                 if not sigkey:
                     # we're looking for *signed* copies here
@@ -531,8 +531,8 @@ class KojiPackageSet(PackageSetBase):
                     return rpm_path
 
             # No signed copy was found, wait a little and try again.
-            retries -= 1
-            if retries > 0:
+            attempts_left -= 1
+            if attempts_left > 0:
                 nvr = "%(name)s-%(version)s-%(release)s" % rpm_info
                 self.log_debug("Waiting for signed package to appear for %s", nvr)
                 time.sleep(self.signed_packages_wait)
diff --git a/tests/test_pkgset_pkgsets.py b/tests/test_pkgset_pkgsets.py
index a329d373..4436d23a 100644
--- a/tests/test_pkgset_pkgsets.py
+++ b/tests/test_pkgset_pkgsets.py
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class TestKojiPkgset(PkgsetCompareMixin, helpers.PungiTestCase):
             self.koji_wrapper,
             [fst_key, snd_key],
             arches=["x86_64"],
-            signed_packages_retries=3,
+            signed_packages_retries=2,
             signed_packages_wait=5,
         )
 
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ class TestKojiPkgset(PkgsetCompareMixin, helpers.PungiTestCase):
             self.koji_wrapper,
             ["cafebabe"],
             arches=["x86_64"],
-            signed_packages_retries=3,
+            signed_packages_retries=2,
             signed_packages_wait=5,
         )