diff --git a/src/opengradient/client/_utils.py b/src/opengradient/client/_utils.py
index 5e8d1af..d9d8436 100644
--- a/src/opengradient/client/_utils.py
+++ b/src/opengradient/client/_utils.py
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable
 
-from .exceptions import OpenGradientError
-
 _ABI_DIR = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "abi"
 _BIN_DIR = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "bin"
 
@@ -22,7 +20,8 @@ def get_abi(abi_name: str) -> dict:
     """Returns the ABI for the requested contract."""
     abi_path = _ABI_DIR / abi_name
     with open(abi_path, "r") as f:
-        return json.load(f)
+        result: dict = json.load(f)
+        return result
 
 
 def get_bin(bin_name: str) -> str:
@@ -50,6 +49,9 @@ def run_with_retry(
     """
     effective_retries = max_retries if max_retries is not None else DEFAULT_MAX_RETRY
 
+    if effective_retries < 1:
+        raise ValueError(f"max_retries must be at least 1, got {effective_retries}")
+
     for attempt in range(effective_retries):
         try:
             return txn_function()
@@ -58,8 +60,10 @@ def run_with_retry(
 
             if any(error in error_msg for error in _NONCE_ERRORS):
                 if attempt == effective_retries - 1:
-                    raise OpenGradientError(f"Transaction failed after {effective_retries} attempts: {e}")
+                    raise RuntimeError(f"Transaction failed after {effective_retries} attempts: {e}")
                 time.sleep(retry_delay)
                 continue
 
             raise
+
+    raise RuntimeError(f"run_with_retry exhausted {effective_retries} attempts without returning or raising")