diff --git a/lib/qrscanner.py b/lib/qrscanner.py
index 56e0a18a..e7acf2a2 100644
--- a/lib/qrscanner.py
+++ b/lib/qrscanner.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 import os
 import sys
+import time
 import ctypes
 
 if sys.platform == 'darwin':
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ except BaseException:
     libzbar = None
 
 
-def scan_barcode(device='', timeout=-1, display=True, threaded=False, try_again=True):
+def scan_barcode(device='', timeout=-1, display=True, threaded=False, try_cnt=10):
     if libzbar is None:
         raise RuntimeError("Cannot start QR scanner; zbar not available.")
     libzbar.zbar_symbol_get_data.restype = ctypes.c_char_p
@@ -50,10 +51,12 @@ def scan_barcode(device='', timeout=-1, display=True, threaded=False, try_again=
     proc = libzbar.zbar_processor_create(threaded)
     libzbar.zbar_processor_request_size(proc, 640, 480)
     if libzbar.zbar_processor_init(proc, device.encode('utf-8'), display) != 0:
-        if try_again:
+        if try_cnt > 0:
+            try_cnt -= 1
+            time.sleep(0.1)
             # workaround for a bug in "ZBar for Windows"
             # libzbar.zbar_processor_init always seem to fail the first time around
-            return scan_barcode(device, timeout, display, threaded, try_again=False)
+            return scan_barcode(device, timeout, display, threaded, try_cnt)
         raise RuntimeError("Can not start QR scanner; initialization failed.")
     libzbar.zbar_processor_set_visible(proc)
     if libzbar.zbar_process_one(proc, timeout):