diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/base/queue-processing-service-base.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/base/queue-processing-service-base.ts
index 47d1bba3bade8..7edb24c18d94b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/base/queue-processing-service-base.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/lib/base/queue-processing-service-base.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export interface QueueProcessingServiceBaseProps {
    * The maximum number of times that a message can be received by consumers.
    * When this value is exceeded for a message the message will be automatically sent to the Dead Letter Queue.
    *
-   * @default 5
+   * @default 3
    */
   readonly maxReceiveCount?: number;
 
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export abstract class QueueProcessingServiceBase extends Construct {
       this.sqsQueue = new Queue(this, 'EcsProcessingQueue', {
         deadLetterQueue: {
           queue: this.deadLetterQueue,
-          maxReceiveCount: props.maxReceiveCount || 5
+          maxReceiveCount: props.maxReceiveCount || 3
         }
       });
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.queue-processing-ecs-service.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.queue-processing-ecs-service.ts
index 123abc4a02b2c..5cb55401b66fb 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.queue-processing-ecs-service.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/ec2/test.queue-processing-ecs-service.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export = {
             "Arn"
           ]
         },
-        maxReceiveCount: 5
+        maxReceiveCount: 3
       }
     }));
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/fargate/test.queue-processing-fargate-service.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/fargate/test.queue-processing-fargate-service.ts
index 18a4d6c7449ee..5085572ab8699 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/fargate/test.queue-processing-fargate-service.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-ecs-patterns/test/fargate/test.queue-processing-fargate-service.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export = {
             "Arn"
           ]
         },
-        maxReceiveCount: 5
+        maxReceiveCount: 3
       }
     }));