diff --git a/include/crm/common/ipc_attrd_internal.h b/include/crm/common/ipc_attrd_internal.h
index f90c2e566a..48d62f0da2 100644
--- a/include/crm/common/ipc_attrd_internal.h
+++ b/include/crm/common/ipc_attrd_internal.h
@@ -1,143 +1,148 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2022 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
  * This source code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
  * version 2.1 or later (LGPLv2.1+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
  */
 
 #ifndef PCMK__CRM_COMMON_IPC_ATTRD_INTERNAL__H
 #  define PCMK__CRM_COMMON_IPC_ATTRD_INTERNAL__H
 
 #include <glib.h>            // GList
 #include <crm/common/ipc.h>  // pcmk_ipc_api_t
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 //! Possible types of attribute manager replies
 enum pcmk__attrd_api_reply {
     pcmk__attrd_reply_unknown,
     pcmk__attrd_reply_query,
 };
 
 // Information passed with pcmk__attrd_reply_query
 typedef struct {
     const char *node;
     const char *name;
     const char *value;
 } pcmk__attrd_query_pair_t;
 
 /*!
  * Attribute manager reply passed to event callback
  *
  * \note The pointers in the reply are only guaranteed to be meaningful for the
  *       execution of the callback; if the values are needed for later, the
  *       callback should copy them.
  */
 typedef struct {
     enum pcmk__attrd_api_reply reply_type;
 
     union {
         // pcmk__attrd_reply_query
         GList *pairs;
     } data;
 } pcmk__attrd_api_reply_t;
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Send a request to pacemaker-attrd to clear resource failure
  *
- * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
+ * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd (or NULL to use
+ *                          a temporary new connection)
  * \param[in] node          Affect only this node (or NULL for all nodes)
  * \param[in] resource      Name of resource to clear (or NULL for all)
  * \param[in] operation     Name of operation to clear (or NULL for all)
  * \param[in] interval_spec If operation is not NULL, its interval
  * \param[in] user_name     ACL user to pass to pacemaker-attrd
  * \param[in] options       Bitmask of pcmk__node_attr_opts
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_clear_failures(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node,
                                    const char *resource, const char *operation,
                                    const char *interval_spec, const char *user_name,
                                    uint32_t options);
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  *
  * \brief Delete a previously set attribute by setting its value to NULL
  *
- * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
+ * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd (or NULL to use
+ *                          a temporary new connection)
  * \param[in] node          Delete attribute for this node (or NULL for current node)
  * \param[in] name          Attribute name
  * \param[in] options       Bitmask of pcmk__node_attr_opts
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_delete(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                            uint32_t options);
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Purge a node from pacemaker-attrd
  *
- * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
+ * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd (or NULL to use
+ *                          a temporary new connection)
  * \param[in] node          Node to remove
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_purge(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node);
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Get the value of an attribute from pacemaker-attrd
  *
  * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
  * \param[in] node          Look up the attribute for this node
  *                          (or NULL for all nodes)
  * \param[in] name          Attribute name
  * \param[in] options       Bitmask of pcmk__node_attr_opts
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_query(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                           uint32_t options);
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Tell pacemaker-attrd to update the CIB with current values
  *
- * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
+ * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd (or NULL to use
+ *                          a temporary new connection)
  * \param[in] node          Affect only this node (or NULL for all nodes)
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_refresh(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node);
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Update an attribute's value, time to wait, or both
  *
- * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd
+ * \param[in] api           Connection to pacemaker-attrd (or NULL to use
+ *                          a temporary new connection)
  * \param[in] node          Affect only this node (or NULL for current node)
  * \param[in] name          Attribute name
  * \param[in] value         The attribute's new value, or NULL to unset
  * \param[in] dampen        The new time to wait value, or NULL to unset
  * \param[in] set           ID of attribute set to use (or NULL to choose first)
  * \param[in] user_name     ACL user to pass to pacemaker-attrd
  * \param[in] options       Bitmask of pcmk__node_attr_opts
  *
  * \return Standard Pacemaker return code
  */
 int pcmk__attrd_api_update(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                            const char *value, const char *dampen, const char *set,
                            const char *user_name, uint32_t options);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
 
 #endif // PCMK__CRM_COMMON_IPC_ATTRD_INTERNAL__H
diff --git a/lib/common/ipc_attrd.c b/lib/common/ipc_attrd.c
index ecb9df9f31..3c77609ce7 100644
--- a/lib/common/ipc_attrd.c
+++ b/lib/common/ipc_attrd.c
@@ -1,359 +1,414 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2011-2022 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
  * This source code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
  * version 2.1 or later (LGPLv2.1+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
  */
 
 #ifndef _GNU_SOURCE
 #  define _GNU_SOURCE
 #endif
 
 #include <crm_internal.h>
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 #include <crm/crm.h>
 #include <crm/common/ipc.h>
 #include <crm/common/ipc_attrd_internal.h>
 #include <crm/common/attrd_internal.h>
 #include <crm/msg_xml.h>
 #include "crmcommon_private.h"
 
 static void
 set_pairs_data(pcmk__attrd_api_reply_t *data, xmlNode *msg_data)
 {
     const char *name = NULL;
     pcmk__attrd_query_pair_t *pair;
 
     name = crm_element_value(msg_data, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NAME);
 
     for (xmlNode *node = first_named_child(msg_data, XML_CIB_TAG_NODE);
          node != NULL; node = crm_next_same_xml(node)) {
         pair = calloc(1, sizeof(pcmk__attrd_query_pair_t));
 
         CRM_ASSERT(pair != NULL);
 
         pair->node = crm_element_value(node, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME);
         pair->name = name;
         pair->value = crm_element_value(node, PCMK__XA_ATTR_VALUE);
         data->data.pairs = g_list_prepend(data->data.pairs, pair);
     }
 }
 
 static bool
 reply_expected(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, xmlNode *request)
 {
     const char *command = crm_element_value(request, PCMK__XA_TASK);
 
     /* Only the query command gets a reply. */
     return pcmk__str_any_of(command, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_QUERY, NULL);
 }
 
 static bool
 dispatch(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, xmlNode *reply)
 {
     const char *value = NULL;
     crm_exit_t status = CRM_EX_OK;
 
     pcmk__attrd_api_reply_t reply_data = {
         pcmk__attrd_reply_unknown
     };
 
     if (pcmk__str_eq((const char *) reply->name, "ack", pcmk__str_none)) {
         return false;
     }
 
     /* Do some basic validation of the reply */
     value = crm_element_value(reply, F_TYPE);
     if (value == NULL || !pcmk__str_eq(value, T_ATTRD, pcmk__str_none)) {
         crm_debug("Unrecognizable attrd message: invalid message type '%s'",
                   crm_str(value));
         status = CRM_EX_PROTOCOL;
         goto done;
     }
 
     /* Only the query command gets a reply for now. */
     value = crm_element_value(reply, F_SUBTYPE);
     if (pcmk__str_eq(value, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_QUERY, pcmk__str_null_matches)) {
         /* This likely means the client gave us an attribute name that doesn't
          * exist.
          */
         if (!xmlHasProp(reply, (pcmkXmlStr) PCMK__XA_ATTR_NAME)) {
             crm_debug("Empty attrd message: no attribute name");
             status = ENXIO;
             goto done;
         }
 
         reply_data.reply_type = pcmk__attrd_reply_query;
 
         set_pairs_data(&reply_data, reply);
     } else {
         crm_debug("Cannot handle a reply from message type '%s'",
                   crm_str(value));
         status = CRM_EX_PROTOCOL;
         goto done;
     }
 
 done:
     pcmk__call_ipc_callback(api, pcmk_ipc_event_reply, status, &reply_data);
 
     /* Free any reply data that was allocated */
     if (reply_data.data.pairs) {
         g_list_free_full(reply_data.data.pairs, free);
     }
 
     return false;
 }
 
 pcmk__ipc_methods_t *
 pcmk__attrd_api_methods()
 {
     pcmk__ipc_methods_t *cmds = calloc(1, sizeof(pcmk__ipc_methods_t));
 
     if (cmds != NULL) {
         cmds->new_data = NULL;
         cmds->free_data = NULL;
         cmds->post_connect = NULL;
         cmds->reply_expected = reply_expected;
         cmds->dispatch = dispatch;
     }
     return cmds;
 }
 
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Create a generic pacemaker-attrd operation
  *
  * \param[in] user_name  If not NULL, ACL user to set for operation
  *
  * \return XML of pacemaker-attrd operation
  */
 static xmlNode *
 create_attrd_op(const char *user_name)
 {
     xmlNode *attrd_op = create_xml_node(NULL, __func__);
 
     crm_xml_add(attrd_op, F_TYPE, T_ATTRD);
     crm_xml_add(attrd_op, F_ORIG, (crm_system_name? crm_system_name: "unknown"));
     crm_xml_add(attrd_op, PCMK__XA_ATTR_USER, user_name);
 
     return attrd_op;
 }
 
+static int
+connect_and_send_attrd_request(xmlNode *request)
+{
+    pcmk_ipc_api_t *api = NULL;
+    int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
+    int max = 5;
+
+    rc = pcmk_new_ipc_api(&api, pcmk_ipc_attrd);
+    if (rc != pcmk_rc_ok) {
+        crm_err("error: Could not connect to attrd: %s", pcmk_rc_str(rc));
+        return ENOTCONN;
+    }
+
+    while (max > 0) {
+        crm_info("Connecting to cluster... %d retries remaining", max);
+        rc = pcmk_connect_ipc(api, pcmk_ipc_dispatch_sync);
+
+        if (rc == pcmk_rc_ok) {
+            rc = pcmk__send_ipc_request(api, request);
+            pcmk_disconnect_ipc(api);
+            pcmk_free_ipc_api(api);
+            api = NULL;
+            break;
+        } else if (rc == EAGAIN || rc == EALREADY) {
+            sleep(5 - max);
+            max--;
+        } else {
+            crm_err("error: Could not connect to attrd: %s", pcmk_rc_str(rc));
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return rc;
+}
+
 static int
 send_attrd_request(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, xmlNode *request)
 {
     return pcmk__send_ipc_request(api, request);
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_clear_failures(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node,
                                const char *resource, const char *operation,
                                const char *interval_spec, const char *user_name,
                                uint32_t options)
 {
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
     xmlNode *request = create_attrd_op(user_name);
     const char *interval_desc = NULL;
     const char *op_desc = NULL;
     const char *target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_CLEAR_FAILURE);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME, node);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_RESOURCE, resource);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_OPERATION, operation);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_INTERVAL, interval_spec);
     crm_xml_add_int(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_IS_REMOTE,
                     pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_remote));
 
-    rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    if (api == NULL) {
+        rc = connect_and_send_attrd_request(request);
+    } else {
+        rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    }
+
     free_xml(request);
 
     if (operation) {
         interval_desc = interval_spec? interval_spec : "nonrecurring";
         op_desc = operation;
     } else {
         interval_desc = "all";
         op_desc = "operations";
     }
 
     crm_debug("Asked pacemaker-attrd to clear failure of %s %s for %s on %s: %s (%d)",
               interval_desc, op_desc, (resource? resource : "all resources"),
               (node? node : "all nodes"), pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
 
     return rc;
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_delete(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                        uint32_t options)
 {
     const char *target = NULL;
 
     if (name == NULL) {
         return EINVAL;
     }
 
     target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     /* Make sure the right update option is set. */
     options &= ~pcmk__node_attr_delay;
     options |= pcmk__node_attr_value;
 
     return pcmk__attrd_api_update(api, node, name, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, options);
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_purge(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node)
 {
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
     xmlNode *request = NULL;
     const char *display_host = (node ? node : "localhost");
     const char *target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     request = create_attrd_op(NULL);
 
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_PEER_REMOVE);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME, node);
 
-    rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    if (api == NULL) {
+        rc = connect_and_send_attrd_request(request);
+    } else {
+        rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    }
+
     free_xml(request);
 
     crm_debug("Asked pacemaker-attrd to purge %s: %s (%d)",
               display_host, pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
 
     return rc;
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_query(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                       uint32_t options)
 {
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
     xmlNode *request = NULL;
     const char *target = NULL;
 
     if (name == NULL) {
         return EINVAL;
     }
 
     target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     request = create_attrd_op(NULL);
 
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NAME, name);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_QUERY);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME, node);
 
     rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
     free_xml(request);
 
     if (node) {
         crm_debug("Queried pacemaker-attrd for %s on %s: %s (%d)",
                   name, node, pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
     } else {
         crm_debug("Queried pacemaker-attrd for %s: %s (%d)",
                   name, pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
     }
 
     return rc;
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_refresh(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node)
 {
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
     xmlNode *request = NULL;
     const char *display_host = (node ? node : "localhost");
     const char *target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     request = create_attrd_op(NULL);
 
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_REFRESH);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME, node);
 
-    rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    if (api == NULL) {
+        rc = connect_and_send_attrd_request(request);
+    } else {
+        rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    }
+
     free_xml(request);
 
     crm_debug("Asked pacemaker-attrd to refresh %s: %s (%d)",
               display_host, pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
 
     return rc;
 }
 
 int
 pcmk__attrd_api_update(pcmk_ipc_api_t *api, const char *node, const char *name,
                        const char *value, const char *dampen, const char *set,
                        const char *user_name, uint32_t options)
 {
     int rc = pcmk_rc_ok;
     xmlNode *request = NULL;
     const char *display_host = (node ? node : "localhost");
     const char *target = NULL;
 
     if (name == NULL) {
         return EINVAL;
     }
 
     target = pcmk__node_attr_target(node);
 
     if (target != NULL) {
         node = target;
     }
 
     request = create_attrd_op(user_name);
 
     if (pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_pattern)) {
         crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_PATTERN, name);
     } else {
         crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NAME, name);
     }
 
     if (pcmk_all_flags_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_value | pcmk__node_attr_delay)) {
         crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_UPDATE_BOTH);
     } else if (pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_value)) {
         crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_UPDATE);
     } else if (pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_delay)) {
         crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_TASK, PCMK__ATTRD_CMD_UPDATE_DELAY);
     }
 
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_VALUE, value);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_DAMPENING, dampen);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_NODE_NAME, node);
     crm_xml_add(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_SET, set);
     crm_xml_add_int(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_IS_REMOTE,
                     pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_remote));
     crm_xml_add_int(request, PCMK__XA_ATTR_IS_PRIVATE,
                     pcmk_is_set(options, pcmk__node_attr_private));
 
-    rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    if (api == NULL) {
+        rc = connect_and_send_attrd_request(request);
+    } else {
+        rc = send_attrd_request(api, request);
+    }
+
     free_xml(request);
 
     crm_debug("Asked pacemaker-attrd to update %s on %s: %s (%d)",
               name, display_host, pcmk_rc_str(rc), rc);
 
     return rc;
 }