diff --git a/torba/client/basetransaction.py b/torba/client/basetransaction.py
index cd46a33ad..e0b63fce9 100644
--- a/torba/client/basetransaction.py
+++ b/torba/client/basetransaction.py
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ class BaseTransaction:
 
         try:
 
-            for _ in range(2):
+            for _ in range(5):
 
                 if payment < cost:
                     deficit = cost - payment
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ class BaseTransaction:
                 if tx._outputs:
                     break
                 else:
-                    # this condition and the outer range(2) loop cover an edge case
+                    # this condition and the outer range(5) loop cover an edge case
                     # whereby a single input is just enough to cover the fee and
                     # has some change left over, but the change left over is less
                     # than the cost_of_change: thus the input is completely
@@ -479,7 +479,9 @@ class BaseTransaction:
                     # to be able to spend this input we must increase the cost
                     # of the TX and run through the balance algorithm a second time
                     # adding an extra input and change output, making tx valid.
-                    cost = cost + cost_of_change + 1
+                    # we do this 5 times in case the other UTXOs added are also
+                    # less than the fee, after 5 attempts we give up and go home
+                    cost += cost_of_change + 1
 
             await tx.sign(funding_accounts)