diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer.go
index d3aab346259..18aaa4ed09a 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func (retryer *ClosedConnectionRetryer) ShouldRetry(r *request.Request) bool {
 
 	if r.Error != nil {
 		if awsErr, ok := r.Error.(awserr.Error); ok {
-			return strings.Contains(awsErr.OrigErr().Error(), "use of closed network connection")
+			return strings.Contains(awsErr.Error(), "use of closed network connection")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer_test.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..35f83221170
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/s3backupstorage/retryer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package s3backupstorage
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/request"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+type testRetryer struct{}
+
+func (r *testRetryer) MaxRetries() int                               { return 5 }
+func (r *testRetryer) RetryRules(req *request.Request) time.Duration { return time.Second }
+func (r *testRetryer) ShouldRetry(req *request.Request) bool         { return false }
+
+func TestShouldRetry(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		r        *request.Request
+		expected bool
+	}{
+
+		{
+			name: "non retryable request",
+			r: &request.Request{
+				Retryable: aws.Bool(false),
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "retryable request",
+			r: &request.Request{
+				Retryable: aws.Bool(true),
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non aws error",
+			r: &request.Request{
+				Retryable: nil,
+				Error:     errors.New("some error"),
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "closed connection error",
+			r: &request.Request{
+				Retryable: nil,
+				Error:     awserr.New("5xx", "use of closed network connection", nil),
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "closed connection error (non nil origError)",
+			r: &request.Request{
+				Retryable: nil,
+				Error:     awserr.New("5xx", "use of closed network connection", errors.New("some error")),
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			retryer := &ClosedConnectionRetryer{&testRetryer{}}
+			msg := ""
+			if test.r.Error != nil {
+				if awsErr, ok := test.r.Error.(awserr.Error); ok {
+					msg = awsErr.Error()
+				}
+			}
+			assert.Equal(t, test.expected, retryer.ShouldRetry(test.r), msg)
+		})
+	}
+}