diff --git a/nomad/vault.go b/nomad/vault.go
index 91fc30df0..b159f0611 100644
--- a/nomad/vault.go
+++ b/nomad/vault.go
@@ -491,33 +491,9 @@ func (v *vaultClient) renewalLoop() {
 				break
 			}
 
-			// Back off, increasing the amount of backoff each time. There are some rules:
-			//
-			// * If we have an existing authentication that is going to expire,
-			// never back off more than half of the amount of time remaining
-			// until expiration
-			// * Never back off more than 30 seconds multiplied by a random
-			// value between 1 and 2
-			// * Use randomness so that many clients won't keep hitting Vault
-			// at the same time
-
-			// Set base values and add some backoff
-
 			v.logger.Warn("got error or bad auth, so backing off", "error", err)
-			switch {
-			case backoff < 5:
-				backoff = 5
-			case backoff >= 24:
-				backoff = 30
-			default:
-				backoff = backoff * 1.25
-			}
-
-			// Add randomness
-			backoff = backoff * (1.0 + rand.Float64())
-
-			maxBackoff := currentExpiration.Sub(time.Now()) / 2
-			if maxBackoff < 0 {
+			backoff = nextBackoff(backoff, currentExpiration)
+			if backoff < 0 {
 				// We have failed to renew the token past its expiration. Stop
 				// renewing with Vault.
 				v.logger.Error("failed to renew Vault token before lease expiration. Shutting down Vault client")
@@ -526,9 +502,6 @@ func (v *vaultClient) renewalLoop() {
 				v.connEstablishedErr = err
 				v.l.Unlock()
 				return
-
-			} else if backoff > maxBackoff.Seconds() {
-				backoff = maxBackoff.Seconds()
 			}
 
 			durationUntilRetry := time.Duration(backoff) * time.Second
@@ -539,6 +512,48 @@ func (v *vaultClient) renewalLoop() {
 	}
 }
 
+// nextBackoff returns the delay for the next auto renew interval, in seconds.
+// Returns negative value if past expiration
+//
+// It should increaes the amount of backoff each time, with the following rules:
+//
+// * If we have an existing authentication that is going to expire,
+// never back off more than half of the amount of time remaining
+// until expiration (with 1s floor)
+// * Never back off more than 30 seconds multiplied by a random
+// value between 1 and 2
+// * Use randomness so that many clients won't keep hitting Vault
+// at the same time
+func nextBackoff(backoff float64, expiry time.Time) float64 {
+	maxBackoff := time.Until(expiry) / 2
+	if maxBackoff < 0 {
+		return -1
+	}
+
+	switch {
+	case backoff < 5:
+		backoff = 5
+	case backoff >= 24:
+		backoff = 30
+	default:
+		backoff = backoff * 1.25
+	}
+
+	// Add randomness
+	backoff = backoff * (1.0 + rand.Float64())
+
+	if backoff > maxBackoff.Seconds() {
+		backoff = maxBackoff.Seconds()
+	}
+
+	// avoid hammering Vault
+	if backoff < 1 {
+		backoff = 1
+	}
+
+	return backoff
+}
+
 // renew attempts to renew our Vault token. If the renewal fails, an error is
 // returned. This method updates the lastRenewed time
 func (v *vaultClient) renew() error {
diff --git a/nomad/vault_test.go b/nomad/vault_test.go
index f7fdbddb8..191eea9df 100644
--- a/nomad/vault_test.go
+++ b/nomad/vault_test.go
@@ -1258,3 +1258,42 @@ func waitForConnection(v *vaultClient, t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Connection not established")
 	})
 }
+
+func TestVaultClient_nextBackoff(t *testing.T) {
+	simpleCases := []struct {
+		name        string
+		initBackoff float64
+
+		// define range of acceptable backoff values accounting for random factor
+		rangeMin float64
+		rangeMax float64
+	}{
+		{"simple case", 7.0, 8.7, 17.60},
+		{"too low", 2.0, 5.0, 10.0},
+		{"too large", 100, 30.0, 60.0},
+	}
+
+	for _, c := range simpleCases {
+		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			b := nextBackoff(c.initBackoff, time.Now().Add(10*time.Hour))
+			if !(c.rangeMin <= b && b <= c.rangeMax) {
+				t.Fatalf("Expected backoff within [%v, %v] but found %v", c.rangeMin, c.rangeMax, b)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	// some edge cases
+	t.Run("close to expiry", func(t *testing.T) {
+		b := nextBackoff(20, time.Now().Add(1100*time.Millisecond))
+		if !(1.0 <= b && b <= 3) {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected backoff within [1, 3] but found %v", b)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("past expiry", func(t *testing.T) {
+		b := nextBackoff(20, time.Now().Add(-1100*time.Millisecond))
+		if b >= 0.0 {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected backoff to be negative but found %v", b)
+		}
+	})
+}