diff --git a/depends/Makefile b/depends/Makefile
index 71aa4ecb8a..6d8bd8d214 100644
--- a/depends/Makefile
+++ b/depends/Makefile
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ PATCHES_PATH = $(BASEDIR)/patches
 BASEDIR = $(CURDIR)
 HASH_LENGTH:=11
 DOWNLOAD_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:=10
-DOWNLOAD_RETRIES:=3
 HOST_ID_SALT ?= salt
 BUILD_ID_SALT ?= salt
 
diff --git a/depends/builders/darwin.mk b/depends/builders/darwin.mk
index d15d6feea6..adf75e6ff5 100644
--- a/depends/builders/darwin.mk
+++ b/depends/builders/darwin.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ build_darwin_OTOOL: = $(shell xcrun -f otool)
 build_darwin_NM: = $(shell xcrun -f nm)
 build_darwin_INSTALL_NAME_TOOL:=$(shell xcrun -f install_name_tool)
 build_darwin_SHA256SUM = shasum -a 256
-build_darwin_DOWNLOAD = curl --location --fail --connect-timeout $(DOWNLOAD_CONNECT_TIMEOUT) --retry $(DOWNLOAD_RETRIES) -o
+build_darwin_DOWNLOAD = curl --location --fail --connect-timeout $(DOWNLOAD_CONNECT_TIMEOUT) -o
 
 #darwin host on darwin builder. overrides darwin host preferences.
 darwin_CC=$(shell xcrun -f clang) -mmacosx-version-min=$(OSX_MIN_VERSION)
diff --git a/depends/builders/linux.mk b/depends/builders/linux.mk
index b03f424010..9af0d066a0 100644
--- a/depends/builders/linux.mk
+++ b/depends/builders/linux.mk
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 build_linux_SHA256SUM = sha256sum
-build_linux_DOWNLOAD = curl --location --fail --connect-timeout $(DOWNLOAD_CONNECT_TIMEOUT) --retry $(DOWNLOAD_RETRIES) -o
+build_linux_DOWNLOAD = curl --location --fail --connect-timeout $(DOWNLOAD_CONNECT_TIMEOUT) -o