diff --git a/apps/app_dial.c b/apps/app_dial.c
index 81a834fb05..e233550272 100644
--- a/apps/app_dial.c
+++ b/apps/app_dial.c
@@ -1988,10 +1988,12 @@ static int retrydial_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 	parse = ast_strdupa(data);
 	AST_STANDARD_APP_ARGS(args, parse);
 
-	if ((sleep = atoi(args.sleep)))
+	if (!ast_strlen_zero(args.sleep) && (sleep = atoi(args.sleep)))
 		sleep *= 1000;
 
-	loops = atoi(args.retries);
+	if (!ast_strlen_zero(args.retries)) {
+		loops = atoi(args.retries);
+	}
 
 	if (!args.dialdata) {
 		ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "%s requires a 4th argument (dialdata)\n", rapp);