diff --git a/mephisto/abstractions/architects/channels/websocket_channel.py b/mephisto/abstractions/architects/channels/websocket_channel.py
index ecf344422..0eac5ffbc 100644
--- a/mephisto/abstractions/architects/channels/websocket_channel.py
+++ b/mephisto/abstractions/architects/channels/websocket_channel.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 
 logger = get_logger(name=__name__)
 
+MAX_RETRIES = 3
+
 
 class WebsocketChannel(Channel):
     """
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._is_alive = False
         self._is_closed = False
         self._socket_task: Optional[asyncio.Task] = None
+        self._retries = MAX_RETRIES
 
     def is_closed(self):
         """
@@ -161,6 +164,18 @@ async def run_socket():
                         f"Unhandled OSError exception in socket {e}, attempting restart"
                     )
                     await asyncio.sleep(0.2)
+                except websockets.exceptions.InvalidStatusCode as e:
+                    if self._retries == 0:
+                        raise ConnectionRefusedError(
+                            "Could not connect after retries"
+                        ) from e
+                    curr_retry = MAX_RETRIES - self._retries
+                    logger.exception(
+                        f"Status code error {repr(e)}, attempting retry {curr_retry}",
+                        exc_info=True,
+                    )
+                    await asyncio.sleep(1 + curr_retry)
+                    self._retries += 1
                 except Exception as e:
                     logger.exception(f"Unhandled exception in socket {e}, {repr(e)}")
                     if self._is_closed:
diff --git a/mephisto/abstractions/architects/ec2/run_scripts/node/init_server.sh b/mephisto/abstractions/architects/ec2/run_scripts/node/init_server.sh
index c1c75f220..ba6c7bc03 100644
--- a/mephisto/abstractions/architects/ec2/run_scripts/node/init_server.sh
+++ b/mephisto/abstractions/architects/ec2/run_scripts/node/init_server.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 echo "Installing basic requirements..."
-sudo yum update -y >> /home/ec2-user/routing_server/setup/setup_log.txt 2>&1
+# Following is commented out until the aws linux2 repo is no longer lagging
+# sudo yum update -y >> /home/ec2-user/routing_server/setup/setup_log.txt 2>&1
 sudo yum install -y httpd >> /home/ec2-user/routing_server/setup/setup_log.txt 2>&1
 
 echo "Downloading Node..."