diff --git a/e2e/assets/playground_backend/dfx.json b/e2e/assets/playground_backend/dfx.json
index dbae6de715..afdd89f86b 100644
--- a/e2e/assets/playground_backend/dfx.json
+++ b/e2e/assets/playground_backend/dfx.json
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   "defaults": {
     "build": {
       "output": "build",
-      "packtool": "mops sources"
+      "packtool": "./mops-sources"
     }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/e2e/assets/playground_backend/mops-sources b/e2e/assets/playground_backend/mops-sources
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..56be5bd50a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/assets/playground_backend/mops-sources
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+
+for i in 0 2 4 8 16 32; do
+  if [ $i -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "retrying in $i seconds" 1>&2
+    sleep $i
+  fi
+
+  if output=$(mops sources); then
+    echo "$output"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+  echo "failed with output: $output" 1>&2
+done
+exit 1