diff --git a/portfolio/type/boxnet/lib.php b/portfolio/type/boxnet/lib.php
index d7c8843a9b0..b4cf4e52356 100644
--- a/portfolio/type/boxnet/lib.php
+++ b/portfolio/type/boxnet/lib.php
@@ -227,7 +227,13 @@ class portfolio_plugin_boxnet extends portfolio_plugin_push_base {
         }
         while (true) {
             if (!array_key_exists('file_name', $this->accounttree) || !in_array($newname, $this->accounttree['file_name'])) {
-                return $this->boxclient->renameFile($fileid, $newname);
+                for ($i = 0; $i < 2; $i++) {
+                    if ($this->boxclient->renameFile($fileid, $newname)) {
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                }
+                debugging("tried three times to rename file and failed");
+                return false;
             }
             $newname = $prefix . '(' . $count . ')' . $suffix;
             $count++;