diff --git a/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autopause.md b/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autopause.md
index e6b994f1..84d31272 100644
--- a/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autopause.md
+++ b/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autopause.md
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ The following environment variables define the behaviour of auto-pausing:
   describes period of the daemonized state machine, that handles the pausing of the process (resuming is done independently)
 - `AUTOPAUSE_KNOCK_INTERFACE`, default `eth0`
   <br>Describes the interface passed to the `knockd` daemon. If the default interface does not work, run the `ifconfig` command inside the container and derive the interface receiving the incoming connection from its output. The passed interface must exist inside the container. Using the loopback interface (`lo`) does likely not yield the desired results.
+- `AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_LIMIT`, default 10
+- `AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_INTERVAL`, default 2s
 
 !!! tip
 
diff --git a/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autostop.md b/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autostop.md
index 88ed0c0f..e086fb39 100644
--- a/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autostop.md
+++ b/docs/misc/autopause-autostop/autostop.md
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ Enable the Autostop functionality by setting:
 ```
 
 The following environment variables define the behavior of auto-stopping:
-* `AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_EST`, default `3600` (seconds)
+- `AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_EST`, default `3600` (seconds)
   describes the time between the last client disconnect and the stopping of the server (read as timeout established)
-* `AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_INIT`, default `1800` (seconds)
+- `AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_INIT`, default `1800` (seconds)
   describes the time between server start and the stopping of the server, when no client connects in-between (read as timeout initialized)
-* `AUTOSTOP_PERIOD`, default `10` (seconds)
+- `AUTOSTOP_PERIOD`, default `10` (seconds)
   describes period of the daemonized state machine, that handles the stopping of the server
+- `AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_LIMIT`, default 10
+- `AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_INTERVAL`, default 2s
 
 > To troubleshoot, add `DEBUG_AUTOSTOP=true` to see additional output
 
diff --git a/examples/autopause/compose.yml b/examples/autopause/compose.yml
index 4782f7cc..95c73c54 100644
--- a/examples/autopause/compose.yml
+++ b/examples/autopause/compose.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ services:
       # More aggressive settings for demo purposes
       AUTOPAUSE_TIMEOUT_INIT: "30"
       AUTOPAUSE_TIMEOUT_EST: "10"
+      JVM_DD_OPTS: "disable.watchdog:true"
     restart: unless-stopped
 
 volumes:
diff --git a/files/auto/autopause-fcns.sh b/files/auto/autopause-fcns.sh
index 8824d47e..73ea4ba3 100644
--- a/files/auto/autopause-fcns.sh
+++ b/files/auto/autopause-fcns.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ mc_server_listening() {
 java_clients_connections() {
   local connections
   if java_running; then
-    if ! connections=$(mc-monitor status $(use_proxy) --host "${SERVER_HOST:-localhost}" --port "$SERVER_PORT" $(use_server_list_ping) --show-player-count); then
+    if ! connections=$(mc-monitor status \
+        --host "${SERVER_HOST:-localhost}" \
+        --port "$SERVER_PORT" \
+        --retry-limit "${AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_LIMIT:-10}" --retry-interval "${AUTOPAUSE_STATUS_RETRY_INTERVAL:-2s}" \
+        $(use_proxy) $(use_server_list_ping) \
+        --show-player-count); then
       # consider it a non-zero player count if the ping fails
       # otherwise a laggy server with players connected could get paused
       connections=1