diff --git a/services/docstore/app/js/DocArchiveManager.js b/services/docstore/app/js/DocArchiveManager.js
index b9fe93ac0f..13bf8db6cd 100644
--- a/services/docstore/app/js/DocArchiveManager.js
+++ b/services/docstore/app/js/DocArchiveManager.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const pMap = require('p-map')
 
 const PARALLEL_JOBS = settings.parallelArchiveJobs
 const DESTROY_BATCH_SIZE = settings.destroyBatchSize
+const DESTROY_RETRY_COUNT = settings.destroyRetryCount
 
 module.exports = {
   archiveAllDocs: callbackify(archiveAllDocs),
@@ -204,14 +205,32 @@ async function destroyDoc(projectId, docId) {
   }
 
   if (doc.inS3) {
-    await PersistorManager.deleteObject(
-      settings.docstore.bucket,
-      `${projectId}/${docId}`
-    )
+    await destroyArchiveWithRetry(projectId, docId)
   }
   await MongoManager.destroyDoc(docId)
 }
 
+async function destroyArchiveWithRetry(projectId, docId) {
+  let attempt = 0
+  let lastError
+  while (attempt++ <= DESTROY_RETRY_COUNT) {
+    try {
+      await PersistorManager.deleteObject(
+        settings.docstore.bucket,
+        `${projectId}/${docId}`
+      )
+      return
+    } catch (err) {
+      lastError = err
+      logger.warn(
+        { projectId, docId, err, attempt },
+        'destroying archive failed'
+      )
+    }
+  }
+  throw lastError
+}
+
 async function _streamToString(stream) {
   const chunks = []
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
diff --git a/services/docstore/config/settings.defaults.js b/services/docstore/config/settings.defaults.js
index 7f42154770..69fed07181 100644
--- a/services/docstore/config/settings.defaults.js
+++ b/services/docstore/config/settings.defaults.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const Settings = {
   max_doc_length: parseInt(process.env.MAX_DOC_LENGTH) || 2 * 1024 * 1024, // 2mb
 
   destroyBatchSize: parseInt(process.env.DESTROY_BATCH_SIZE, 10) || 2000,
+  destroyRetryCount: parseInt(process.env.DESTROY_RETRY_COUNT || '3', 10),
   parallelArchiveJobs: parseInt(process.env.PARALLEL_ARCHIVE_JOBS, 10) || 5
 }
 
diff --git a/services/docstore/test/unit/js/DocArchiveManagerTests.js b/services/docstore/test/unit/js/DocArchiveManagerTests.js
index ceb490108f..a324cfe916 100644
--- a/services/docstore/test/unit/js/DocArchiveManagerTests.js
+++ b/services/docstore/test/unit/js/DocArchiveManagerTests.js
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ describe('DocArchiveManager', function () {
     Settings = {
       docstore: {
         bucket: 'wombat'
-      }
+      },
+      parallelArchiveJobs: 3,
+      destroyBatchSize: 10,
+      destroyRetryCount: 3
     }
     HashDigest = sinon.stub().returns(md5Sum)
     HashUpdate = sinon.stub().returns({ digest: HashDigest })
@@ -436,6 +439,41 @@ describe('DocArchiveManager', function () {
       it('should delete the doc in mongo', async function () {
         await DocArchiveManager.promises.destroyDoc(projectId, docId)
       })
+
+      describe('when the destroy request errors', function () {
+        beforeEach(function () {
+          mongoDocs[0].inS3 = true
+          PersistorManager.deleteObject.onFirstCall().rejects(new Error('1'))
+          PersistorManager.deleteObject.onSecondCall().rejects(new Error('2'))
+          PersistorManager.deleteObject.onThirdCall().resolves()
+        })
+
+        it('should retry', async function () {
+          await DocArchiveManager.promises.destroyDoc(projectId, docId)
+          expect(PersistorManager.deleteObject).to.have.been.calledWith(
+            Settings.docstore.bucket,
+            `${projectId}/${docId}`
+          )
+          expect(PersistorManager.deleteObject.callCount).to.equal(3)
+        })
+      })
+
+      describe('when the destroy request errors permanent', function () {
+        beforeEach(function () {
+          mongoDocs[0].inS3 = true
+          PersistorManager.deleteObject.rejects(new Error('permanent'))
+        })
+
+        it('should retry and fail eventually', async function () {
+          await expect(DocArchiveManager.promises.destroyDoc(projectId, docId))
+            .to.eventually.be.rejected
+          expect(PersistorManager.deleteObject).to.have.been.calledWith(
+            Settings.docstore.bucket,
+            `${projectId}/${docId}`
+          )
+          expect(PersistorManager.deleteObject.callCount).to.equal(4)
+        })
+      })
     })
 
     describe('when the doc is not in s3', function () {