diff --git a/security/nss/tests/smime/smime.sh b/security/nss/tests/smime/smime.sh
index 203af47c0f98..79588c75e3f3 100755
--- a/security/nss/tests/smime/smime.sh
+++ b/security/nss/tests/smime/smime.sh
@@ -125,10 +125,18 @@ smime_main()
   ret=$?
   html_msg $ret 0 "Create Multiple Recipients Enveloped Data Alice" "."
   if [ $ret != 0 ] ; then
-	echo "certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR}"
-	certutil -L -d  -d ${R_ALICEDIR}
-	echo "certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR} -n dave@bogus.com"
-	certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR} -n dave@bogus.com
+        i=0
+        echo "cp -r ${R_ALICEDIR} ${R_ALICEDIR}.trouble"
+        cp -r ${R_ALICEDIR} ${R_ALICEDIR}.trouble
+        while [ $i -lt 100 ] ; do
+            echo "will attempt to list the certs in the db `expr 100 - $i` more times"
+	    echo "certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR}"
+	    certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR}
+	    echo "certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR} -n dave@bogus.com"
+	    certutil -L -d ${R_ALICEDIR} -n dave@bogus.com
+            sleep 30
+            i=`expr $i + 1`
+        done
   fi
 
   echo "cmsutil -D -i alicecc.env -d ${R_BOBDIR} -p nss -o alice.data2"