diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py
index 3f5ff12994..36a03914d2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/container.py
@@ -10,15 +10,13 @@ import os
 import re
 import shutil
 import sys
-import time
 import unicodedata
 import uuid
 from collections import defaultdict
+from css_parser import getUrls, replaceUrls
 from io import BytesIO
 from itertools import count
 
-from css_parser import getUrls, replaceUrls
-
 from calibre import CurrentDir, walk
 from calibre.constants import iswindows
 from calibre.customize.ui import plugin_for_input_format, plugin_for_output_format
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.utils import (
     CommentFinder, PositionFinder, guess_type, parse_css
 )
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryDirectory, PersistentTemporaryFile
-from calibre.utils.filenames import hardlink_file, nlinks_file
+from calibre.utils.filenames import hardlink_file, nlinks_file, retry_on_fail
 from calibre.utils.ipc.simple_worker import WorkerError, fork_job
 from calibre.utils.logging import default_log
 from calibre.utils.xml_parse import safe_xml_fromstring
@@ -1057,12 +1055,9 @@ class Container(ContainerBase):  # {{{
                 # Decouple this file from its links
                 temp = path + 'xxx'
                 shutil.copyfile(path, temp)
-                try:
-                    os.unlink(path)
-                except EnvironmentError:
-                    if not iswindows:
-                        raise
-                    time.sleep(1)  # Wait for whatever has locked the file to release it
+                if iswindows:
+                    retry_on_fail(os.unlink, path)
+                else:
                     os.unlink(path)
                 os.rename(temp, path)
         return path
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py b/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
index e8a75b646f..acf13fe880 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
@@ -466,21 +466,25 @@ if iswindows:
         move_file(a, b)
 
 
+def retry_on_fail(func, *args, count=10, sleep_time=0.2):
+    for i in range(count):
+        try:
+            func(*args)
+            break
+        except OSError:
+            if i > count - 2:
+                raise
+            # Try the operation repeatedly in case something like a virus
+            # scanner has opened one of the files (I love windows)
+            time.sleep(sleep_time)
+
+
 def atomic_rename(oldpath, newpath):
     '''Replace the file newpath with the file oldpath. Can fail if the files
     are on different volumes. If succeeds, guaranteed to be atomic. newpath may
     or may not exist. If it exists, it is replaced. '''
     if iswindows:
-        for i in range(10):
-            try:
-                rename_file(oldpath, newpath)
-                break
-            except Exception:
-                if i > 8:
-                    raise
-                # Try the rename repeatedly in case something like a virus
-                # scanner has opened one of the files (I love windows)
-                time.sleep(1)
+        retry_on_fail(rename_file, oldpath, newpath)
     else:
         os.rename(oldpath, newpath)