diff --git a/fpaste b/fpaste
index dfdf2ea..96b8d98 100755
--- a/fpaste
+++ b/fpaste
@@ -227,57 +227,82 @@ def cmd_create(args, config):
         if not args.quiet:
             print(" done", file=sys.stderr)
 
-    headers = {}
+    # Build base headers (without PoW)
+    base_headers = {}
     if config["cert_sha1"]:
-        headers["X-SSL-Client-SHA1"] = config["cert_sha1"]
+        base_headers["X-SSL-Client-SHA1"] = config["cert_sha1"]
 
     # Add burn-after-read header
     if args.burn:
-        headers["X-Burn-After-Read"] = "true"
+        base_headers["X-Burn-After-Read"] = "true"
 
     # Add custom expiry header
     if args.expiry:
-        headers["X-Expiry"] = str(args.expiry)
+        base_headers["X-Expiry"] = str(args.expiry)
 
     # Add password header
     if args.password:
-        headers["X-Paste-Password"] = args.password
-
-    # Get and solve PoW challenge if required
-    challenge = get_challenge(config)
-    if challenge:
-        if not args.quiet:
-            print(f"solving pow (difficulty={challenge['difficulty']})...", end="", file=sys.stderr)
-        solution = solve_pow(challenge["nonce"], challenge["difficulty"])
-        if not args.quiet:
-            print(" done", file=sys.stderr)
-        headers["X-PoW-Token"] = challenge["token"]
-        headers["X-PoW-Solution"] = str(solution)
+        base_headers["X-Paste-Password"] = args.password
 
     url = config["server"].rstrip("/") + "/"
-    status, body, _ = request(
-        url, method="POST", data=content, headers=headers, ssl_context=config.get("ssl_context")
-    )
+    max_retries = 5
+    last_error = None
 
-    if status == 201:
-        data = json.loads(body)
-        # Append encryption key to URL fragment if encrypted
-        key_fragment = ""
-        if encryption_key:
-            key_fragment = "#" + encode_key(encryption_key)
+    for attempt in range(max_retries):
+        headers = dict(base_headers)
 
-        if args.raw:
-            print(config["server"].rstrip("/") + data["raw"] + key_fragment)
-        elif args.quiet:
-            print(data["id"] + key_fragment)
-        else:
-            print(config["server"].rstrip("/") + data["url"] + key_fragment)
-    else:
+        # Get and solve PoW challenge if required
+        challenge = get_challenge(config)
+        if challenge:
+            if attempt > 0 and not args.quiet:
+                print(f"retry {attempt}/{max_retries - 1}...", file=sys.stderr)
+            if not args.quiet:
+                diff = challenge["difficulty"]
+                print(f"solving pow (difficulty={diff})...", end="", file=sys.stderr)
+            solution = solve_pow(challenge["nonce"], challenge["difficulty"])
+            if not args.quiet:
+                print(" done", file=sys.stderr)
+            headers["X-PoW-Token"] = challenge["token"]
+            headers["X-PoW-Solution"] = str(solution)
+
+        status, body, _ = request(
+            url, method="POST", data=content, headers=headers, ssl_context=config.get("ssl_context")
+        )
+
+        if status == 201:
+            data = json.loads(body)
+            # Append encryption key to URL fragment if encrypted
+            key_fragment = ""
+            if encryption_key:
+                key_fragment = "#" + encode_key(encryption_key)
+
+            if args.raw:
+                print(config["server"].rstrip("/") + data["raw"] + key_fragment)
+            elif args.quiet:
+                print(data["id"] + key_fragment)
+            else:
+                print(config["server"].rstrip("/") + data["url"] + key_fragment)
+            return
+
+        # Parse error
         try:
-            err = json.loads(body).get("error", body.decode())
+            last_error = json.loads(body).get("error", body.decode())
         except (json.JSONDecodeError, UnicodeDecodeError):
-            err = body.decode(errors="replace")
-        die(f"create failed ({status}): {err}")
+            last_error = body.decode(errors="replace")
+
+        # Check if PoW-related error (worth retrying)
+        err_lower = last_error.lower()
+        is_pow_error = status == 400 and ("pow" in err_lower or "proof-of-work" in err_lower)
+        if not is_pow_error:
+            # Non-PoW error, don't retry
+            die(f"create failed ({status}): {last_error}")
+
+        # PoW error, will retry if attempts remain
+        if not args.quiet:
+            print(f"pow rejected: {last_error}", file=sys.stderr)
+
+    # All retries exhausted
+    die(f"create failed after {max_retries} attempts: {last_error}")
 
 
 def cmd_get(args, config):