diff --git a/tools/internal_ci/helper_scripts/prepare_build_linux_perf_rc b/tools/internal_ci/helper_scripts/prepare_build_linux_perf_rc
index ff5593e031a..b66ac38942f 100644
--- a/tools/internal_ci/helper_scripts/prepare_build_linux_perf_rc
+++ b/tools/internal_ci/helper_scripts/prepare_build_linux_perf_rc
@@ -21,7 +21,13 @@ ulimit -c unlimited
 
 # Performance PR testing needs GH API key and PR metadata to comment results
 if [ -n "$KOKORO_GITHUB_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER" ]; then
-  sudo apt-get install -y jq
+  retry=0
+  until [ $retry -ge 3 ]
+  do
+    sudo apt-get install -y jq && break
+    retry=$[$retry+1]
+    sleep 5
+  done
   export ghprbTargetBranch=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/grpc/grpc/pulls/$KOKORO_GITHUB_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER | jq -r .base.ref)
 fi
 
diff --git a/tools/internal_ci/linux/grpc_run_tests_matrix.sh b/tools/internal_ci/linux/grpc_run_tests_matrix.sh
index f9acd814ae8..f8fd963ccf3 100755
--- a/tools/internal_ci/linux/grpc_run_tests_matrix.sh
+++ b/tools/internal_ci/linux/grpc_run_tests_matrix.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,13 @@ source tools/internal_ci/helper_scripts/prepare_build_linux_rc
 # If this is a PR using RUN_TESTS_FLAGS var, then add flags to filter tests
 if [ -n "$KOKORO_GITHUB_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER" ] && [ -n "$RUN_TESTS_FLAGS" ]; then
   sudo apt-get update
-  sudo apt-get install -y jq
+  retry=0
+  until [ $retry -ge 3 ]
+  do
+    sudo apt-get install -y jq && break
+    retry=$[$retry+1]
+    sleep 5
+  done
   ghprbTargetBranch=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/grpc/grpc/pulls/$KOKORO_GITHUB_PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER | jq -r .base.ref)
   export RUN_TESTS_FLAGS="$RUN_TESTS_FLAGS --filter_pr_tests --base_branch origin/$ghprbTargetBranch"
 fi