diff --git a/.changeset/bright-rabbits-jump.md b/.changeset/bright-rabbits-jump.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33967681b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/bright-rabbits-jump.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@tanstack/query-core": patch
+---
+
+Fix retry callback failureCount to start at 1 for the first failure.
diff --git a/docs/framework/react/guides/query-retries.md b/docs/framework/react/guides/query-retries.md
index fa1364dfba..62db2032b4 100644
--- a/docs/framework/react/guides/query-retries.md
+++ b/docs/framework/react/guides/query-retries.md
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ When a `useQuery` query fails (the query function throws an error), TanStack Que
 
 You can configure retries both on a global level and an individual query level.
 
-- Setting `retry = false` will disable retries.
-- Setting `retry = 6` will retry failing requests 6 times before showing the final error thrown by the function.
-- Setting `retry = true` will infinitely retry failing requests.
-- Setting `retry = (failureCount, error) => ...` allows for custom logic based on why the request failed.
+- `retry = false` disables retries.
+- `retry = 6` will retry failing requests 6 times before showing the final error thrown by the function.
+- `retry = true` will infinitely retry failing requests.
+- `retry = (failureCount, error) => ...` allows for custom logic based on why the request failed. The `failureCount` starts at `1` for the first failure.
 
 [//]: # 'Info'
 
diff --git a/docs/framework/react/reference/useMutation.md b/docs/framework/react/reference/useMutation.md
index 60940ba5de..39200847a5 100644
--- a/docs/framework/react/reference/useMutation.md
+++ b/docs/framework/react/reference/useMutation.md
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ mutate(variables, {
   - If `false`, failed mutations will not retry.
   - If `true`, failed mutations will retry infinitely.
   - If set to an `number`, e.g. `3`, failed mutations will retry until the failed mutations count meets that number.
+  - When set to a function, `failureCount` starts at `1` for the first failed attempt.
 - `retryDelay: number | (retryAttempt: number, error: TError) => number`
   - This function receives a `retryAttempt` integer and the actual Error and returns the delay to apply before the next attempt in milliseconds.
   - A function like `attempt => Math.min(attempt > 1 ? 2 ** attempt * 1000 : 1000, 30 * 1000)` applies exponential backoff.
diff --git a/docs/framework/react/reference/useQuery.md b/docs/framework/react/reference/useQuery.md
index d3b10142a8..d5f982243d 100644
--- a/docs/framework/react/reference/useQuery.md
+++ b/docs/framework/react/reference/useQuery.md
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ const {
   - If `false`, failed queries will not retry by default.
   - If `true`, failed queries will retry infinitely.
   - If set to a `number`, e.g. `3`, failed queries will retry until the failed query count meets that number.
+  - When set to a function, `failureCount` starts at `1` for the first failed attempt.
   - defaults to `3` on the client and `0` on the server
 - `retryOnMount: boolean`
   - If set to `false`, the query will not be retried on mount if it contains an error. Defaults to `true`.
diff --git a/docs/framework/solid/reference/useQuery.md b/docs/framework/solid/reference/useQuery.md
index 38b9751d75..647e5af69e 100644
--- a/docs/framework/solid/reference/useQuery.md
+++ b/docs/framework/solid/reference/useQuery.md
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ function App() {
     - If `false`, failed queries will not retry by default.
     - If `true`, failed queries will retry infinitely.
     - If set to a `number`, e.g. `3`, failed queries will retry until the failed query count meets that number.
+    - When set to a function, `failureCount` starts at `1` for the first failed attempt.
     - defaults to `3` on the client and `0` on the server
   - ##### `retryOnMount: boolean`
     - If set to `false`, the query will not be retried on mount if it contains an error. Defaults to `true`.
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
index a33bf75cfc..cc9f23d77b 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/__tests__/query.test.tsx
@@ -153,6 +153,33 @@ describe('query', () => {
     onlineMock.mockRestore()
   })
 
+  it('should pass a 1-based failureCount to retry callbacks', async () => {
+    const key = queryKey()
+    const failureCounts: number[] = []
+    let attempt = 0
+
+    const promise = queryClient.fetchQuery({
+      queryKey: key,
+      queryFn: () => {
+        attempt++
+        if (attempt < 3) {
+          throw new Error(`error${attempt}`)
+        }
+        return `data${attempt}`
+      },
+      retry: (failureCount) => {
+        failureCounts.push(failureCount)
+        return failureCount < 3
+      },
+      retryDelay: 1,
+    })
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10)
+
+    await expect(promise).resolves.toBe('data3')
+    expect(failureCounts).toEqual([1, 2])
+  })
+
   it('should throw a CancelledError when a paused query is cancelled', async () => {
     const key = queryKey()
 
diff --git a/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts b/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
index f4ada851c9..19be7c7d76 100644
--- a/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
+++ b/packages/query-core/src/retryer.ts
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ export function createRetryer<TData = unknown, TError = DefaultError>(
         const shouldRetry =
           retry === true ||
           (typeof retry === 'number' && failureCount < retry) ||
-          (typeof retry === 'function' && retry(failureCount, error))
+          (typeof retry === 'function' && retry(failureCount + 1, error))
 
         if (isRetryCancelled || !shouldRetry) {
           // We are done if the query does not need to be retried