diff --git a/trains/backend_api/session/session.py b/trains/backend_api/session/session.py
index c4686fd3..a1698e3e 100644
--- a/trains/backend_api/session/session.py
+++ b/trains/backend_api/session/session.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class Session(TokenManager):
         initialize_logging=True,
         client=None,
         config=None,
+        http_retries_config=None,
         **kwargs
     ):
 
@@ -127,9 +128,8 @@ class Session(TokenManager):
             raise ValueError("host is required in init or config")
 
         self.__host = host.strip("/")
-        http_retries_config = self.config.get(
-            "api.http.retries", ConfigTree()
-        ).as_plain_ordered_dict()
+        http_retries_config = http_retries_config or self.config.get(
+            "api.http.retries", ConfigTree()).as_plain_ordered_dict()
         http_retries_config["status_forcelist"] = self._retry_codes
         self.__http_session = get_http_session_with_retry(**http_retries_config)
 
diff --git a/trains/config/default/__main__.py b/trains/config/default/__main__.py
index a9f35c64..8e245b84 100644
--- a/trains/config/default/__main__.py
+++ b/trains/config/default/__main__.py
@@ -177,15 +177,16 @@ def verify_credentials(api_host, credentials):
     try:
         print('Verifying credentials ...')
         if api_host:
-            Session(api_key=credentials['access_key'], secret_key=credentials['secret_key'], host=api_host)
+            Session(api_key=credentials['access_key'], secret_key=credentials['secret_key'], host=api_host,
+                    http_retries_config={"total": 1})
             print('Credentials verified!')
             return True
         else:
             print("Can't verify credentials")
             return False
-    except Exception:
-        print('Error: could not verify credentials: key={} secret={}'.format(
-            credentials.get('access_key'), credentials.get('secret_key')))
+    except Exception as ex:
+        print('Exception: {}\nError: could not verify credentials: key={} secret={}'.format(
+            str(ex), credentials.get('access_key'), credentials.get('secret_key')))
         return False