diff --git a/integration_test.go b/integration_test.go
index 293d8f6..e61f206 100644
--- a/integration_test.go
+++ b/integration_test.go
@@ -1123,6 +1123,72 @@ func TestClient_502CommandRemovesProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestClient_502ReconnectDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	var attempt atomic.Int32
+	factory := func(ctx context.Context) (net.Conn, error) {
+		client, server := net.Pipe()
+		go func() {
+			_, _ = server.Write([]byte("200 server ready\r\n"))
+			buf := make([]byte, 4096)
+			for {
+				_, err := server.Read(buf)
+				if err != nil {
+					return
+				}
+				if attempt.Add(1) == 1 {
+					// First command: return 502 to trigger removal.
+					_, _ = server.Write([]byte("502 service unavailable\r\n"))
+				} else {
+					// Subsequent commands: succeed.
+					_, _ = server.Write([]byte("223 article exists\r\n"))
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+		return client, nil
+	}
+
+	c, err := NewClient(context.Background(), []Provider{
+		{Factory: factory, Connections: 1, SkipPing: true, ReconnectDelay: 50 * time.Millisecond},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewClient() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = c.Close() }()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	// First request: hits 502, provider is removed.
+	resp := <-c.Send(ctx, []byte("STAT <id@test>\r\n"), nil)
+	if !errors.Is(resp.Err, ErrServiceUnavailable) {
+		t.Fatalf("first Send() error = %v, want ErrServiceUnavailable", resp.Err)
+	}
+	if c.NumProviders() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("NumProviders() = %d, want 0 after 502", c.NumProviders())
+	}
+
+	// Wait for reconnect goroutine to re-add the provider.
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		if c.NumProviders() == 1 {
+			break
+		}
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	if c.NumProviders() != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("NumProviders() = %d, want 1 after reconnect", c.NumProviders())
+	}
+
+	// Second request: should succeed via the re-added provider.
+	resp = <-c.Send(ctx, []byte("STAT <id@test>\r\n"), nil)
+	if resp.Err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second Send() error = %v", resp.Err)
+	}
+	if resp.StatusCode != 223 {
+		t.Errorf("StatusCode = %d, want 223", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestClient_502CommandFallsBackToBackup(t *testing.T) {
 	makeFactory := func(statusCode int) ConnFactory {
 		return func(ctx context.Context) (net.Conn, error) {
diff --git a/nntp.go b/nntp.go
index dc7dfcd..ffd5ec9 100644
--- a/nntp.go
+++ b/nntp.go
@@ -1082,6 +1082,7 @@ type Provider struct {
 	IdleTimeout     time.Duration // 0 means no idle disconnect
 	ThrottleRestore time.Duration // 0 defaults to 30s
 	KeepAlive       time.Duration // TCP keep-alive interval; 0 defaults to 30s; negative disables
+	ReconnectDelay  time.Duration // 0 disables auto-reconnect after 502; when set, re-adds provider after this delay
 }
 
 type providerGroup struct {
@@ -1096,6 +1097,7 @@ type providerGroup struct {
 	gate     *connGate
 	stats    providerStats
 	cancel   context.CancelFunc // cancels this group's slot goroutines
+	p        Provider           // original config; used for auto-reconnect
 }
 
 type Client struct {
@@ -1242,6 +1244,7 @@ func (c *Client) startProviderGroup(p Provider, index int) *providerGroup {
 		hotPrioCh: make(chan *Request),
 		gate:      gate,
 		cancel:    gcancel,
+		p:         p,
 	}
 
 	// Ping with a short timeout so we don't block forever.
@@ -1514,6 +1517,9 @@ func (c *Client) doSendWithRetry(ctx context.Context, payload []byte, bodyWriter
 			// Provider returned "service unavailable" — remove it from the
 			// pool immediately so no further requests are routed to it.
 			_ = c.RemoveProvider(g.name)
+			if g.p.ReconnectDelay > 0 {
+				c.scheduleReconnect(g)
+			}
 			lastErr = fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", g.name, ErrServiceUnavailable)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -1557,6 +1563,9 @@ func (c *Client) doSendWithRetry(ctx context.Context, payload []byte, bodyWriter
 		}
 		if resp.StatusCode == 502 {
 			_ = c.RemoveProvider(g.name)
+			if g.p.ReconnectDelay > 0 {
+				c.scheduleReconnect(g)
+			}
 			lastErr = fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", g.name, ErrServiceUnavailable)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -1657,6 +1666,17 @@ func (c *Client) AddProvider(p Provider) error {
 
 // RemoveProvider stops and removes a provider by name.
 // Goroutines wind down asynchronously; Client.Close still waits for all via c.wg.
+func (c *Client) scheduleReconnect(g *providerGroup) {
+	go func() {
+		select {
+		case <-c.ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-time.After(g.p.ReconnectDelay):
+		}
+		_ = c.AddProvider(g.p) // no-op if client closed or duplicate
+	}()
+}
+
 func (c *Client) RemoveProvider(name string) error {
 	for _, pair := range [...]struct {
 		ptr *atomic.Pointer[[]*providerGroup]