diff --git a/avrrfm.c b/avrrfm.c
index d261db1..658bfb8 100644
--- a/avrrfm.c
+++ b/avrrfm.c
@@ -317,10 +317,7 @@
         // used only for tx
         initWatchdog();
         initTimer();
-        // TODO with the radio breakout on the same SPI bus,
-        // first SD card init fails, second succeeds always
         sdcard = initSDCard();
-        if (!sdcard) sdcard = initSDCard();
     }
 
     // enable global interrupts
diff --git a/sdcard.c b/sdcard.c
index 9411336..f791d85 100644
--- a/sdcard.c
+++ b/sdcard.c
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@
     // CMD0 - go to idle state
     response[0] = sendIdle();
     if (response[0] > 0x01) {
+        // retry solves failure possibly caused by another component
+        // on the same SPI bus
+        response[0] = sendIdle();
+    }
+    if (response[0] > 0x01) {
         printString("SD card error 0\r\n");
         return false;
     }