diff --git a/brainrender/atlas_specific/allen_brain_atlas/gene_expression/api.py b/brainrender/atlas_specific/allen_brain_atlas/gene_expression/api.py
index 85ed432..b044be0 100644
--- a/brainrender/atlas_specific/allen_brain_atlas/gene_expression/api.py
+++ b/brainrender/atlas_specific/allen_brain_atlas/gene_expression/api.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import sys
+from time import sleep
 
 import pandas as pd
 import requests
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ def get_gene_experiments(self, gene):
         url = self.gene_experiments_url.replace("-GENE_SYMBOL-", gene)
         max_retries = 8
         delay = 4
+        data = None
 
         for i in range(max_retries):
             try:
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ def get_gene_experiments(self, gene):
             except requests.exceptions.JSONDecodeError:
                 print(f"Unable to connect to Allen API, retrying in {delay}")
                 delay *= 2
+                sleep(delay)
 
         if not len(data):
             print(f"No experiment found for gene {gene}")