diff --git a/backend-services/services/gateway_service.py b/backend-services/services/gateway_service.py
index 7783600..aed2a83 100644
--- a/backend-services/services/gateway_service.py
+++ b/backend-services/services/gateway_service.py
@@ -368,6 +368,20 @@ class GatewayService:
                 if api.get('api_credits_enabled') and username and not bool(api.get('api_public')):
                     if not await credit_util.deduct_credit(api.get('api_credit_group'), username):
                         return GatewayService.error_response(request_id, 'GTW008', 'User does not have any credits', status=401)
+            else:
+                # Recursive call with url present; re-derive API context for headers/validation
+                try:
+                    parts = [p for p in (path or '').split('/') if p]
+                    api_name_version = ''
+                    endpoint_uri = ''
+                    if len(parts) >= 3:
+                        api_name_version = f'/{parts[0]}/{parts[1]}'
+                        endpoint_uri = '/' + '/'.join(parts[2:])
+                    api_key = doorman_cache.get_cache('api_id_cache', api_name_version)
+                    api = await api_util.get_api(api_key, api_name_version)
+                except Exception:
+                    api = None
+                    endpoint_uri = ''
             current_time = time.time() * 1000
             query_params = getattr(request, 'query_params', {})
             incoming_content_type = request.headers.get('Content-Type') or 'application/xml'
@@ -377,7 +391,7 @@ class GatewayService:
                 content_type = incoming_content_type
             else:
                 content_type = 'text/xml; charset=utf-8'
-            allowed_headers = api.get('api_allowed_headers') or []
+            allowed_headers = api.get('api_allowed_headers') or [] if api else []
             headers = await get_headers(request, allowed_headers)
             headers['Content-Type'] = content_type
             if 'SOAPAction' not in headers:
@@ -401,7 +415,7 @@ class GatewayService:
                     pass
 
             try:
-                endpoint_doc = await api_util.get_endpoint(api, 'POST', '/' + endpoint_uri.lstrip('/'))
+                endpoint_doc = await api_util.get_endpoint(api, 'POST', '/' + endpoint_uri.lstrip('/')) if api else None
                 endpoint_id = endpoint_doc.get('endpoint_id') if endpoint_doc else None
                 if endpoint_id:
                     await validation_util.validate_soap_request(endpoint_id, envelope)
diff --git a/backend-services/tests/test_soap_gateway_retries.py b/backend-services/tests/test_soap_gateway_retries.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d13bc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-services/tests/test_soap_gateway_retries.py
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+class _Resp:
+    def __init__(self, status_code=200, body='<ok/>', headers=None):
+        self.status_code = status_code
+        self.text = body
+        base = {'Content-Type': 'text/xml'}
+        if headers:
+            base.update(headers)
+        self.headers = base
+        self.content = (self.text or '').encode('utf-8')
+
+
+def _mk_retry_xml_client(sequence, seen):
+    counter = {'i': 0}
+
+    class _Client:
+        def __init__(self, timeout=None):
+            pass
+        async def __aenter__(self):
+            return self
+        async def __aexit__(self, exc_type, exc, tb):
+            return False
+        async def post(self, url, content=None, params=None, headers=None):
+            seen.append({'url': url, 'params': dict(params or {}), 'headers': dict(headers or {}), 'content': content})
+            idx = min(counter['i'], len(sequence) - 1)
+            code = sequence[idx]
+            counter['i'] = counter['i'] + 1
+            return _Resp(code)
+    return _Client
+
+
+async def _setup_soap(client, name, ver, retry_count=0):
+    payload = {
+        'api_name': name,
+        'api_version': ver,
+        'api_description': f'{name} {ver}',
+        'api_allowed_roles': ['admin'],
+        'api_allowed_groups': ['ALL'],
+        'api_servers': ['http://soap.retry'],
+        'api_type': 'REST',
+        'api_allowed_retry_count': retry_count,
+    }
+    r = await client.post('/platform/api', json=payload)
+    assert r.status_code in (200, 201)
+    r2 = await client.post('/platform/endpoint', json={
+        'api_name': name,
+        'api_version': ver,
+        'endpoint_method': 'POST',
+        'endpoint_uri': '/call',
+        'endpoint_description': 'soap call',
+    })
+    assert r2.status_code in (200, 201)
+    from conftest import subscribe_self
+    await subscribe_self(client, name, ver)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_soap_retry_on_500_then_success(monkeypatch, authed_client):
+    import services.gateway_service as gs
+    name, ver = 'soapretry500', 'v1'
+    await _setup_soap(authed_client, name, ver, retry_count=2)
+    seen = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gs.httpx, 'AsyncClient', _mk_retry_xml_client([500, 200], seen))
+    r = await authed_client.post(
+        f'/api/soap/{name}/{ver}/call', headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'}, content='<env/>'
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    assert len(seen) == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_soap_retry_on_502_then_success(monkeypatch, authed_client):
+    import services.gateway_service as gs
+    name, ver = 'soapretry502', 'v1'
+    await _setup_soap(authed_client, name, ver, retry_count=2)
+    seen = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gs.httpx, 'AsyncClient', _mk_retry_xml_client([502, 200], seen))
+    r = await authed_client.post(
+        f'/api/soap/{name}/{ver}/call', headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'}, content='<env/>'
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    assert len(seen) == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_soap_retry_on_503_then_success(monkeypatch, authed_client):
+    import services.gateway_service as gs
+    name, ver = 'soapretry503', 'v1'
+    await _setup_soap(authed_client, name, ver, retry_count=2)
+    seen = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gs.httpx, 'AsyncClient', _mk_retry_xml_client([503, 200], seen))
+    r = await authed_client.post(
+        f'/api/soap/{name}/{ver}/call', headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'}, content='<env/>'
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    assert len(seen) == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_soap_retry_on_504_then_success(monkeypatch, authed_client):
+    import services.gateway_service as gs
+    name, ver = 'soapretry504', 'v1'
+    await _setup_soap(authed_client, name, ver, retry_count=2)
+    seen = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gs.httpx, 'AsyncClient', _mk_retry_xml_client([504, 200], seen))
+    r = await authed_client.post(
+        f'/api/soap/{name}/{ver}/call', headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'}, content='<env/>'
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    assert len(seen) == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_soap_no_retry_when_retry_count_zero(monkeypatch, authed_client):
+    import services.gateway_service as gs
+    name, ver = 'soapretry0', 'v1'
+    await _setup_soap(authed_client, name, ver, retry_count=0)
+    seen = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gs.httpx, 'AsyncClient', _mk_retry_xml_client([500, 200], seen))
+    r = await authed_client.post(
+        f'/api/soap/{name}/{ver}/call', headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'}, content='<env/>'
+    )
+    assert r.status_code == 500
+    assert len(seen) == 1
+