diff --git a/tgui/packages/tgui/events/handlers/assets.ts b/tgui/packages/tgui/events/handlers/assets.ts
index 89b32ce07ea..521801fce40 100644
--- a/tgui/packages/tgui/events/handlers/assets.ts
+++ b/tgui/packages/tgui/events/handlers/assets.ts
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ export function handleLoadAssets(payload: Record<string, string>): void {
     Byond.iconRefMap &&
     Object.keys(Byond.iconRefMap).length === 0
   ) {
-    fetchRetry(payload['icon_ref_map.json'])
-      .then((res) => res.json())
-      .then(setIconRefMap)
-      .catch(console.error);
+    fetchIconRefMapWithRetry(payload['icon_ref_map.json']);
   }
 }
 
@@ -29,3 +26,26 @@ export function getIconFromRefMap(icon: string): string | undefined {
 function setIconRefMap(map: Record<string, string>): void {
   Byond.iconRefMap = map;
 }
+
+function fetchIconRefMapWithRetry(url: string, retries = 5, delay = 2500) {
+  const attempt = () => {
+    fetchRetry(url)
+      .then((res) => res.json())
+      .then((json) => {
+        setIconRefMap(json);
+        console.log('Icon ref map loaded successfully.');
+      })
+      .catch((err) => {
+        console.error(`Failed to load icon_ref_map.json:`, err);
+        if (retries > 0) {
+          console.log(`Retrying in ${delay / 1000}s...`);
+          setTimeout(
+            () => fetchIconRefMapWithRetry(url, retries - 1, delay),
+            delay,
+          );
+        }
+      });
+  };
+
+  attempt();
+}