diff --git a/src/pcsc.hxx b/src/pcsc.hxx
index 963e297..513237c 100644
--- a/src/pcsc.hxx
+++ b/src/pcsc.hxx
@@ -327,18 +327,21 @@ namespace pcsc {
                             "Retry Nr. "<<cnt);
                   try {
                     reconnect();
-                    check(SCardTransmit(_id, &rPci,
-                                        (LPCBYTE)in.c_str(),
-                                        in.size(),
-                                        0, buff, &len),
-                          "smartcard transmit resend message "+crypto::hex(in));
+                    if (check(SCardTransmit(_id, &rPci,
+                                            (LPCBYTE)in.c_str(),
+                                            in.size(),
+                                            0, buff, &len),
+                              "smartcard transmit resend message "
+                              +crypto::hex(in))) {
+                      CRYPTOLOG("successful after retry nr. "<<cnt);
+                      return std::string((char*)buff, len);
+                    }
                   } catch (std::exception& x) {
-                    CRYPTOLOG("failed with "<<x.what());
-                    continue; // try again
+                    CRYPTOLOG("failed again with "<<x.what());
                   }
-                  break; // success
                 }
 #             endif
+              CRYPTOLOG("definitely failed with "<<x.what());
               throw; // just rethrow otherwise
             }
             //CRYPTOLOG(" -> "<<crypto::hex(std::string((char*)buff, len)));