diff --git a/earwigbot/irc/rc.py b/earwigbot/irc/rc.py
index 0889c32..fa196b0 100644
--- a/earwigbot/irc/rc.py
+++ b/earwigbot/irc/rc.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class RC(object):
             # We're probably missing the http:// part, because it's a log
             # entry, which lacks a URL:
             page, flags, user, comment = self.re_log.findall(msg)[0]
-            url = "http://{0}.org/wiki/{1}".format(self.chan, page)
+            url = "http://{0}.org/wiki/{1}".format(self.chan[1:], page)
 
             self.is_edit = False  # This is a log entry, not edit
 
diff --git a/earwigbot/wiki/site.py b/earwigbot/wiki/site.py
index 3c4babc..76033fd 100644
--- a/earwigbot/wiki/site.py
+++ b/earwigbot/wiki/site.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class Site(object):
                  article_path=None, script_path=None, sql=None,
                  namespaces=None, login=(None, None), cookiejar=None,
                  user_agent=None, use_https=False, assert_edit=None,
-                 maxlag=None, wait_between_queries=5, logger=None,
+                 maxlag=None, wait_between_queries=3, logger=None,
                  search_config=(None, None)):
         """Constructor for new Site instances.
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class Site(object):
         self._assert_edit = assert_edit
         self._maxlag = maxlag
         self._wait_between_queries = wait_between_queries
-        self._max_retries = 5
+        self._max_retries = 6
         self._last_query_time = 0
         self._api_lock = Lock()
 
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class Site(object):
             msg = 'Server says "{0}"; retrying in {1} seconds ({2}/{3})'
             self._logger.info(msg.format(info, wait, tries, self._max_retries))
             sleep(wait)
-            return self._api_query(params, tries=tries, wait=wait*3)
+            return self._api_query(params, tries=tries, wait=wait*2)
         else:  # Some unknown error occurred
             e = 'API query failed: got error "{0}"; server says: "{1}".'
             error = exceptions.SiteAPIError(e.format(code, info))
diff --git a/earwigbot/wiki/sitesdb.py b/earwigbot/wiki/sitesdb.py
index d473877..2a75dc0 100644
--- a/earwigbot/wiki/sitesdb.py
+++ b/earwigbot/wiki/sitesdb.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class SitesDB(object):
         use_https = config.wiki.get("useHTTPS", False)
         assert_edit = config.wiki.get("assert")
         maxlag = config.wiki.get("maxlag")
-        wait_between_queries = config.wiki.get("waitTime", 5)
+        wait_between_queries = config.wiki.get("waitTime", 3)
         logger = self._logger.getChild(name)
         search_config = config.wiki.get("search")