diff -up hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c.retry-open hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c
--- hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c.retry-open	2009-10-27 11:46:00.181457688 +0000
+++ hplip-3.9.8/prnt/backend/hp.c	2009-10-27 11:57:51.527583553 +0000
@@ -724,11 +724,21 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                /* Open hp device. */
                while ((stat = hpmud_open_device(argv[0], ma.prt_mode, &hd)) != HPMUD_R_OK)
                {
-                  if (stat != HPMUD_R_DEVICE_BUSY)
-                  {
-                     BUG("ERROR: cannot open device stat=%d: %s\n", stat, argv[0]);
-                     goto bugout;
-                  }
+		  if (getenv ("CLASS") != NULL)
+		  {
+		     /* If the CLASS environment variable is set we
+		      * need to give other class members a chance in
+		      * case their devices are ready to go.
+		      */
+
+		     BUG("INFO: cannot open device stat=%d: %s\n", stat, argv[0]);
+		     BUG("INFO: queuing on next printer in class...\n");
+
+		     /* Prevent job requeuing too quickly. */
+		     sleep (5);
+
+		     goto bugout;
+		  }
 
                   /* Display user error. */
                   device_event(argv[0], printer, 5000+stat, argv[2], argv[1], argv[3]);