diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileReftableStack.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileReftableStack.java
index 4536e04..cc52bfb 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileReftableStack.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileReftableStack.java
@@ -262,8 +262,13 @@
 		long max = 1000;
 		long delay = 0;
 		boolean success = false;
-		while (System.currentTimeMillis() < deadline) {
+
+		// Don't check deadline for the first 3 retries, so we can step with a
+		// debugger without worrying about deadlines.
+		int tries = 0;
+		while (tries < 3 || System.currentTimeMillis() < deadline) {
 			List<String> names = readTableNames();
+			tries++;
 			try {
 				reloadOnce(names);
 				success = true;