diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a847907..801eab1 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "commons"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.2.1"
 description = "small stdlib-only sync helpers: time/timezone deltas, dotted-path dict access, display masking, ip/address tooling, and retry/backoff"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = []
diff --git a/src/commons/__init__.py b/src/commons/__init__.py
index 2358c94..22ef211 100644
--- a/src/commons/__init__.py
+++ b/src/commons/__init__.py
@@ -63,4 +63,4 @@ __all__ = [
     "aretry",
 ]
 
-__version__ = "0.2.0"
+__version__ = "0.2.1"
diff --git a/src/commons/retry.py b/src/commons/retry.py
index e5d4e92..257669b 100644
--- a/src/commons/retry.py
+++ b/src/commons/retry.py
@@ -77,8 +77,10 @@ def retry(
     `retry(fn, ...)` runs immediately; `@retry(...)` wraps a function. retries on the
     `on` exceptions, stops early if `give_up(exc)` is true, re-raises the last
     exception once `attempts` are exhausted. `sleep`/`rand` are injectable for tests.
+    `attempts` is floored at 1 so the callable always runs at least once.
     """
     types = _as_types(on)
+    attempts = max(1, attempts)
 
     def run(target: Callable, args, kwargs):
         delays = list(_delays(attempts, backoff, factor, max_backoff))
@@ -128,8 +130,10 @@ def aretry(
     async twin of `retry`. `await aretry(coro_fn, ...)` runs immediately;
     `@aretry(...)` wraps a coroutine function. same semantics: retry on `on`, stop on
     `give_up`, re-raise the last exception after `attempts`. `sleep`/`rand` injectable.
+    `attempts` is floored at 1 so the callable always runs at least once.
     """
     types = _as_types(on)
+    attempts = max(1, attempts)
 
     async def run(target: Callable, args, kwargs):
         delays = list(_delays(attempts, backoff, factor, max_backoff))