diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index fcf6a0748..578e8b3d7 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -471,9 +471,15 @@ func (c *Client) SetRetryAfter(callback RetryAfter) *Client {
 	return c
 }
 
-// SetRetryCount sets the maximum retry attempts before aborting.
+// SetRetryCount sets the number of retries after the initial request before aborting.
+// Negative values are treated as 0 (no retries).
 func (c *Client) SetRetryCount(count int) *Client {
+	if count < 0 {
+		count = 0
+	}
+
 	c.retryCount = count
+
 	return c
 }
 
@@ -519,7 +525,8 @@ func (c *Client) doRequest(ctx context.Context, method, endpoint string, params
 		err  error
 	)
 
-	for range c.retryCount {
+	// retryCount controls the number of retries after the initial attempt
+	for range c.retryCount + 1 {
 		// createRequest seeks params.Body back to the start, so it's safe to retry.
 		req, err = c.createRequest(ctx, method, endpoint, params)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index a9baf5679..8c53d569f 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -858,3 +859,34 @@ func TestEnableLogSanitization(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("expected Authorization header to appear in request log output")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDoRequest_RetryCountZero_StillExecutes(t *testing.T) {
+	var called atomic.Bool
+
+	handler := func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		called.Store(true)
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"id":1}`))
+	}
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(handler))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	client := newTestClient(t, nil)
+	client.SetBaseURL(server.URL)
+	client.SetRetryCount(0)
+
+	type result struct {
+		ID int `json:"id"`
+	}
+
+	var got result
+
+	err := client.doRequest(context.Background(), http.MethodGet, "/test", requestParams{
+		Response: &got,
+	}, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "doRequest should not return an error")
+	require.True(t, called.Load(), "server handler should have been called even with retryCount=0")
+	require.Equal(t, 1, got.ID, "response should have been decoded")
+}