diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index fa58af6..ffccf2b 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -41,24 +41,28 @@ var (
 	inverterAddrs  = flag.String("inverter-addrs", "rakmodule_00DBC1:502,192.168.86.6:502", "Comma-separated list of inverter addresses (modbus-tcp with 'encryption')")
 	scrapeInterval = flag.Duration("scrape-interval", 15*time.Second, "Period of modbus scraping loop")
 
-	scrapeMu   sync.Mutex
-	lastScrape time.Time
-	lastValues = make(map[uint16]float64)
+	promHandler = promhttp.Handler()
+	scrapeMu    sync.Mutex
+	lastScrape  time.Time
+	lastValues  = make(map[uint16]float64)
 
 	scrapeCounter = promauto.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
 		Namespace: "sungrow",
 		Subsystem: "scraper",
 		Name:      "scrapes_total",
+		Help:      "Number of successful scrapes of the inverter input registers",
 	})
 	scrapeStart = promauto.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
 		Namespace: "sungrow",
 		Subsystem: "scraper",
 		Name:      "scrape_start",
+		Help:      "Start time of the most recent scrape attempt",
 	})
 	scrapeEnd = promauto.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
 		Namespace: "sungrow",
 		Subsystem: "scraper",
 		Name:      "scrape_end",
+		Help:      "End time of the most recent successful scrape",
 	})
 	scrapeDuration = promauto.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
 		Namespace: "sungrow",
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ func init() {
 			Namespace: "sungrow",
 			Subsystem: "tariff",
 			Name:      "daily_charge",
-			Help:      "unit:$",
+			Help:      "units:$",
 		},
 		func() float64 { return dailySupplyCharge },
 	)
@@ -92,7 +96,7 @@ func init() {
 			Namespace: "sungrow",
 			Subsystem: "tariff",
 			Name:      "import_tariff",
-			Help:      "unit:$",
+			Help:      "units:$",
 		},
 		func() float64 { return tariff93.pricePerKWh(time.Now()) },
 	)
@@ -101,7 +105,7 @@ func init() {
 			Namespace: "sungrow",
 			Subsystem: "tariff",
 			Name:      "export_tariff",
-			Help:      "unit:$",
+			Help:      "units:$",
 		},
 		func() float64 { return solarFeedInTariff.pricePerKWh(time.Now()) },
 	)
@@ -111,14 +115,26 @@ func statusHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(w, "current time: %v\n", time.Now())
 }
 
+func dialInverter() (*sungrowConn, error) {
+	for _, addr := range strings.Split(*inverterAddrs, ",") {
+		conn, err := dialSungrow(addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("Couldn't dial inverter: %v", err)
+			continue
+		}
+		return conn, nil
+	}
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("all addresses unreachable")
+}
+
 // Called under scrapeMu.
-func readRegs(client modbus.Client, start, qty uint16) {
+func readRegs(client modbus.Client, start, qty uint16) error {
 	data, err := client.ReadInputRegisters(start, qty)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Couldn't read input registers %d-%d: %v", start+1, start+qty, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("read input registers %d-%d: %v", start+1, start+qty, err)
 	}
 	if len(data) != int(2*qty) {
-		log.Fatalf("Couldn't read input registers %d-%d: len(data) = %d != %d = 2*qty", start+1, start+qty, len(data), 2*qty)
+		return fmt.Errorf("reading input registers %d-%d: len(data) = %d != %d = 2*qty", start+1, start+qty, len(data), 2*qty)
 	}
 	for addr, reg := range sungrowInputRegs {
 		if addr <= start || addr > start+qty {
@@ -130,56 +146,72 @@ func readRegs(client modbus.Client, start, qty uint16) {
 				log.Printf("Couldn't parse input register data at %d, skipping: %v", addr, err)
 				continue
 			}
-			log.Fatalf("Couldn't parse input register data at %d: %v", addr, err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("parsing input register data at %d: %v", addr, err)
 		}
 		//fmt.Printf("%s: %v %s\n", reg.name, val, reg.unit)
 		lastValues[addr] = val
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Called under scrapeMu.
-func scrape(client modbus.Client) {
+func scrape() error {
+	sgc, err := dialInverter()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer sgc.Close()
+
+	handler := modbus.TCPHandlerFromConnection(sgc)
+	handler.SlaveId = 0x01
+	//handler.Connect()
+
+	client := modbus.NewClient(handler)
+
 	start := time.Now()
 	scrapeStart.SetToCurrentTime()
-	readRegs(client, 5000, 50)
-	readRegs(client, 5050, 50)
-	readRegs(client, 5100, 50)
+	if err := readRegs(client, 5000, 50); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := readRegs(client, 5050, 50); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := readRegs(client, 5100, 50); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	scrapeEnd.SetToCurrentTime()
 	lastScrape = time.Now()
 	scrapeDuration.Set(time.Since(start).Seconds())
 	scrapeCounter.Inc()
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func metricsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	// In normal mode, always serve metrics
+	defer promHandler.ServeHTTP(w, r)
+
+	scrapeMu.Lock()
+	defer scrapeMu.Unlock()
+	if time.Since(lastScrape) <= maxScrapeAge {
+		return
+	}
+
+	var lastErr error
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		if err := scrape(); err != nil {
+			log.Printf("Retrying scrape; error: %v", err)
+			lastErr = err
+			continue
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	log.Fatalf("Scrape failed, bailing entirely: %v", lastErr)
 }
 
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
 
-	// Is the inverter reachable?
-	var sgc *sungrowConn
-	for _, addr := range strings.Split(*inverterAddrs, ",") {
-		conn, err := dialSungrow(addr)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("Couldn't dial inverter: %v", err)
-			continue
-		}
-		sgc = conn
-		defer conn.Close()
-		break
-	}
-	if sgc == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Couldn't dial any addresses, aborting")
-	}
-
-	// HTTP setup
-	http.Handle("/metrics", promhttp.Handler())
-	http.HandleFunc("/", statusHandler)
-
-	handler := modbus.TCPHandlerFromConnection(sgc)
-	handler.SlaveId = 0x01
-	//handler.Connect()
-	defer handler.Close()
-	client := modbus.NewClient(handler)
-
-	// Finally, create all the register gauges.
 	// These are GaugeFuncs to more closely align Prometheus scrape time with
 	// the modbus scrape time.
 	for addr, reg := range sungrowInputRegs {
@@ -191,17 +223,20 @@ func main() {
 				Name:      reg.name,
 				Help:      fmt.Sprintf("addr: %d, unit: %s", addr, reg.unit),
 			},
-			func() float64 {
-				scrapeMu.Lock()
-				defer scrapeMu.Unlock()
-				if time.Since(lastScrape) <= maxScrapeAge {
-					return lastValues[addr]
-				}
-				scrape(client)
-				return lastValues[addr]
-			},
+			func() float64 { return lastValues[addr] },
 		)
 	}
 
+	// Startup paranoia check: Is the inverter reachable?
+	sgc, err := dialInverter()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal("Couldn't dial any addresses, aborting")
+	}
+	sgc.Close()
+
+	// HTTP setup
+	http.HandleFunc("/metrics", metricsHandler)
+	http.HandleFunc("/", statusHandler)
+
 	log.Fatalf("http.ListenAndServe: %v", http.ListenAndServe(*httpAddr, nil))
 }