diff --git a/sdk/timer-utils/BUILD.bazel b/sdk/timer-utils/BUILD.bazel
index 58d4d68e1840..48037eeceb6a 100644
--- a/sdk/timer-utils/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/sdk/timer-utils/BUILD.bazel
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 load(
     "//bazel_tools:scala.bzl",
     "da_scala_library",
+    "da_scala_test",
 )
 
 da_scala_library(
@@ -15,3 +16,12 @@ da_scala_library(
     ],
     deps = [],
 )
+
+da_scala_test(
+    name = "timer-utils-tests",
+    srcs = glob(["src/test/scala/**/*.scala"]),
+    deps = [
+        ":timer-utils",
+        "//3rdparty/jvm/org/scalatest",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/sdk/timer-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategy.scala b/sdk/timer-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategy.scala
index 48011195ad32..bebec13958dc 100644
--- a/sdk/timer-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategy.scala
+++ b/sdk/timer-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategy.scala
@@ -15,14 +15,21 @@ object RetryStrategy {
 
   /** Retry a fixed amount of times with exponential backoff, regardless of the exception thrown
     */
-  def exponentialBackoff(attempts: Int, firstWaitTime: Duration): RetryStrategy =
+  def exponentialBackoff(attempts: Int, firstWaitTime: Duration): RetryStrategy = {
+    val cap = firstWaitTime match {
+      case fd: FiniteDuration =>
+        val maxFactor = math.pow(2.0, attempts.toDouble.min(62.0))
+        fd * maxFactor
+      case other => other
+    }
     new RetryStrategy(
       Some(attempts),
       firstWaitTime,
-      firstWaitTime * math.pow(2.0, attempts.toDouble),
+      cap,
       _ * 2,
       { case _ => true },
     )
+  }
 
   /** Retry a fixed amount of times with constant wait time, regardless of the exception thrown
     */
@@ -92,8 +99,9 @@ final class RetryStrategy private (
         run(attempt, wait).recoverWith { case throwable =>
           if (attempts.exists(attempt >= _)) {
             val timeTaken = Duration.fromNanos(System.nanoTime() - startTime)
+            val attemptsStr = attempts.fold(attempt.toString)(_.toString)
             val message =
-              s"Gave up trying after $attempts attempts and ${timeTaken.toUnit(SECONDS)} seconds."
+              s"Gave up trying after $attemptsStr attempts and ${timeTaken.toUnit(SECONDS)} seconds."
             Future.failed(TooManyAttemptsException(attempt, timeTaken, message, throwable))
           } else if (predicate.lift(throwable).getOrElse(false)) {
             Delayed.Future.by(wait)(go(attempt + 1, clip(progression(wait))))
diff --git a/sdk/timer-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategyTest.scala b/sdk/timer-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategyTest.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ddf9eeca1252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/timer-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/timer/RetryStrategyTest.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.timer
+
+import org.scalatest.wordspec.AsyncWordSpec
+import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
+import scala.concurrent.duration._
+
+class RetryStrategyTest extends AsyncWordSpec with Matchers {
+
+  "RetryStrategy.exponentialBackoff" should {
+    "not throw overflow exception when attempts count is large" in {
+      noException should be thrownBy {
+        RetryStrategy.exponentialBackoff(attempts = 1024, firstWaitTime = 10.millis)
+      }
+      succeed
+    }
+
+    "format attempts count string cleanly without printing Option wrapper" in {
+      val strategy = RetryStrategy.exponentialBackoff(attempts = 1, firstWaitTime = 1.milli)
+      strategy { (_, _) =>
+        scala.concurrent.Future.failed(new RuntimeException("test error"))
+      }.failed.map {
+        case ex: RetryStrategy.TooManyAttemptsException =>
+          ex.getMessage should include("after 1 attempts")
+          ex.getMessage should not include "Some(1)"
+        case other =>
+          fail(s"Unexpected exception type: $other")
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}