Techniques are disclosed for reducing power of network devices in a low-power wireless network. Embodiments generally include, for a network device that periodically toggles between high-power and low-power modes, increasing the relative amount of time the network device operates in a low-power mode under certain conditions that may otherwise cause the network device to consume more power. Such conditions include when the network device fails to join the low-power wireless network and/or when the network device fails to communicate with the low-power wireless network with an accuracy above a certain threshold level.