diff --git a/include/types.h b/include/types.h
index 902e1d1..10dd89c 100644
--- a/include/types.h
+++ b/include/types.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ typedef struct{
 
 typedef struct{
     int is_symmetric;
+    int retry_rho_needed;
 
     c_float* Hsym;
     c_float* Hs_rho;
diff --git a/include/utils.h b/include/utils.h
index 1ede787..ce868a8 100644
--- a/include/utils.h
+++ b/include/utils.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ int daqp_normalize_M(DAQPWorkspace *work);
 int daqp_check_unconstrained(DAQPWorkspace* work, const int mask);
 
 int daqp_update_avi(DAQPAVI *avi, DAQPProblem *problem, c_float zero_tol);
+int daqp_retry_avi_with_reduced_rho(DAQPWorkspace *work);
 int daqp_lu(c_float* A, int* P, int n);
 void daqp_lu_solve(c_float* LU, int* P, c_float* b, c_float* x, int n);
 
diff --git a/interfaces/daqp-python/test/example_test.py b/interfaces/daqp-python/test/example_test.py
index 308918c..28fba01 100644
--- a/interfaces/daqp-python/test/example_test.py
+++ b/interfaces/daqp-python/test/example_test.py
@@ -66,6 +66,30 @@ def test_avi_model_dispatches_on_symmetry(self):
             self.assertEqual(flag_ref, 1)
             np.testing.assert_allclose(x_model, x_ref, atol=1.0e-8)
 
+    def test_ill_conditioned_asymmetric_avi(self):
+        """An asymmetric AVI remains accurate with a hidden weak direction."""
+        Q = np.array([[1.0, 1.0], [-1.0, 1.0]], dtype=c_double) / np.sqrt(2.0)
+        H = Q @ np.diag([1.0e-6, 1.0]) @ Q.T
+        H += np.array([[0.0, 1.0e-7], [-1.0e-7, 0.0]], dtype=c_double)
+        f = np.array([0.75, -0.25], dtype=c_double)
+        A = np.eye(2, dtype=c_double)
+        bupper = np.ones(2, dtype=c_double)
+        blower = -np.ones(2, dtype=c_double)
+        sense = np.zeros(2, dtype=c_int)
+
+        x, _, flag, _ = daqp.solve(
+            H, f, A, bupper, blower, sense, is_avi=True)
+
+        self.assertEqual(flag, 1)
+        residual = H @ x + f
+        for xi, ri in zip(x, residual):
+            if xi <= -1.0 + 1.0e-7:
+                self.assertGreaterEqual(ri, -1.0e-7)
+            elif xi >= 1.0 - 1.0e-7:
+                self.assertLessEqual(ri, 1.0e-7)
+            else:
+                self.assertAlmostEqual(ri, 0.0, delta=1.0e-7)
+                
     def test_warm_start_dual(self):
         """Dual warm start produces the same optimal solution as a cold start."""
         H = np.array([[1.0, 0.0], [0.0, 1.0]], dtype=c_double)
diff --git a/src/api.c b/src/api.c
index 05c30af..2c31e49 100644
--- a/src/api.c
+++ b/src/api.c
@@ -370,6 +370,9 @@ void allocate_daqp_ldp(DAQPWorkspace *work, int n, int m, int ms, int alloc_R, i
 }
 void allocate_daqp_avi(DAQPAVI* avi, const int n){
     avi->is_symmetric = 0;
+    avi->retry_rho_needed = 0;
+    avi->rho = 0.0;
+
 
     // Allocate matrices
     avi->Hsym = malloc(n*n*sizeof(c_float));
diff --git a/src/avi.c b/src/avi.c
index 5f69ecc..2033317 100644
--- a/src/avi.c
+++ b/src/avi.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ int daqp_solve_avi(DAQPWorkspace *work) {
     int tot_iter = 0;
     int counter = 0;
     int terminate_limit = 5;
+    int retry_requested = 0;
     c_float minimum_newton_residual = DAQP_INF;
 
     // Initial avi iterate
@@ -51,6 +52,11 @@ int daqp_solve_avi(DAQPWorkspace *work) {
             // If no decrease since last Newton iterate -> revert Newton step
             if(sum > minimum_newton_residual){
                 for(i = 0; i < n; i++) work->avi->x[i] = work->xold[i];
+                if(terminate_limit == 30 && avi->retry_rho_needed &&
+                   !DAQP_IS_REDUCED(work)){
+                    retry_requested = 1;
+                    break;
+                }
                 terminate_limit += 5; // Increase terminate limit to give DR more time to converge
                 if(terminate_limit > 30) terminate_limit = 30;
             }
@@ -95,6 +101,20 @@ int daqp_solve_avi(DAQPWorkspace *work) {
         }
         daqp_lu_solve(avi->H_rho, avi->P_H2, avi->xtemp, avi->x, n);
     }
+    if(retry_requested){
+        int original_limit = work->settings->iter_limit;
+        int retry_flag = daqp_retry_avi_with_reduced_rho(work);
+        if(retry_flag < 0) return retry_flag;
+        if(retry_flag > 0 && k+1 < original_limit){
+            work->settings->iter_limit = original_limit-(k+1);
+            retry_flag = daqp_solve_avi(work);
+            work->settings->iter_limit = original_limit;
+            work->iterations += tot_iter;
+            return retry_flag;
+        }
+        work->iterations = tot_iter;
+        return DAQP_EXIT_ITERLIMIT;
+    }
     if(k==work->settings->iter_limit) exitflag = -4;
     work->iterations = tot_iter;
     return exitflag;
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index 0cbb76d..4ef315c 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#ifndef DAQP_AVI_PIVOT_TRIGGER
+#define DAQP_AVI_PIVOT_TRIGGER ((c_float)0.05)
+#endif
+#ifndef DAQP_AVI_RETRY_RHO_REDUCTION
+#define DAQP_AVI_RETRY_RHO_REDUCTION ((c_float)16.0)
+#endif
+
 static c_float proximal_regularization_scaled(
         const DAQPWorkspace *work, c_float hessian_scale){
     c_float eps = work->settings->eps_prox;
@@ -11,6 +18,42 @@ static c_float proximal_regularization_scaled(
     return eps;
 }
 
+static void daqp_install_avi_rho(
+        DAQPAVI* avi, const DAQPProblem* p, c_float rho){
+    int i,j,disp;
+    const int n = p->n;
+    avi->rho = rho;
+    for(i = 0, disp = 0; i < n; i++){
+        for(j = 0; j < n; j++, disp++){
+            avi->Hs_rho[disp] = avi->Hsym[disp];
+            avi->H_rho[disp] = p->H[disp];
+        }
+        avi->Hs_rho[i*n+i] += rho;
+        avi->H_rho[i*n+i] += rho;
+    }
+}
+
+int daqp_retry_avi_with_reduced_rho(DAQPWorkspace* work){
+    DAQPAVI* avi = work->avi;
+    c_float retry_rho;
+    int error_flag;
+
+    if(avi == NULL || !avi->retry_rho_needed) return 0;
+    if(DAQP_IS_REDUCED(work)) return 0;
+    avi->retry_rho_needed = 0; // At most one retry per setup
+    retry_rho = avi->rho/DAQP_AVI_RETRY_RHO_REDUCTION;
+    daqp_install_avi_rho(avi,work->qp,retry_rho);
+    daqp_lu(avi->H_rho,avi->P_H2,work->n);
+    error_flag = daqp_update_Rinv(work,avi->Hs_rho,0);
+    if(error_flag < 0) return error_flag;
+    daqp_update_v(work->qp->f,work,DAQP_UPDATE_Rinv);
+    error_flag = daqp_update_M(work,work->qp->A,DAQP_UPDATE_Rinv);
+    if(error_flag < 0) return error_flag;
+    daqp_normalize_Rinv(work);
+    daqp_update_d(work,work->qp->bupper,work->qp->blower);
+    return 1;
+}
+
 int daqp_update_ldp(const int mask, DAQPWorkspace *work, DAQPProblem* qp){
     // TODO: copy dimensions from work->qp?
     int error_flag, i;
@@ -648,6 +691,7 @@ int daqp_update_avi(DAQPAVI* avi, DAQPProblem* p, c_float zero_tol){
     c_float fro_norm_sq = 0.0;
     c_float max_asymmetry = 0.0;
     avi->rho = 0.0;
+    avi->retry_rho_needed = 0;
     for (i = 0, disp=0; i < n; i++) {
         c_float row_sum = 0.0;
         for (j = 0; j < n; j++, disp++) {
@@ -671,19 +715,28 @@ int daqp_update_avi(DAQPAVI* avi, DAQPProblem* p, c_float zero_tol){
     avi->is_symmetric = max_asymmetry <= zero_tol * hessian_scale;
     if(avi->is_symmetric) return 1;
 
-    // Regularization
+    // Detect possible problematic rho from LU pivots
+    int lu_status = daqp_lu(avi->LU_H, avi->P_H, n);
+    if(lu_status == 0 && min_diag > 0.0){
+        c_float min_lu_pivot = DAQP_INF;
+        for(i = 0; i < n; i++){
+            c_float pivot = fabs(avi->LU_H[i*n+i]);
+            if(pivot < min_lu_pivot) min_lu_pivot = pivot;
+        }
+        if(min_lu_pivot < DAQP_AVI_PIVOT_TRIGGER * min_diag)
+            avi->retry_rho_needed = 1;
+    }
+
+    // Start with default step length heuristic
     if(min_diag > 0.0 && max_row_sum > 0.0)
         avi->rho = sqrt(min_diag * max_row_sum);
     else
         avi->rho = sqrt(fro_norm_sq)/2;
-    for(i=0,disp=0; i<n;i++){
+    for(i = 0, disp = 0; i < n; i++, disp += n+1){
         avi->Hs_rho[disp] += avi->rho;
         avi->H_rho[disp] += avi->rho;
-        disp += n+1;
     }
 
-    // Factorize H and H_rho
-    daqp_lu(avi->LU_H, avi->P_H, n);
     // H_rho factorization deferred until needed (skipped if unconstrained optimal)
     return 1;
 }