diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvnemesis/kvnemesis_test.go b/pkg/kv/kvnemesis/kvnemesis_test.go
index 0ff00a0e8134..50a3118ca083 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvnemesis/kvnemesis_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvnemesis/kvnemesis_test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-var defaultNumSteps = envutil.EnvOrDefaultInt("COCKROACH_KVNEMESIS_STEPS", 50)
+var defaultNumSteps = envutil.EnvOrDefaultInt("COCKROACH_KVNEMESIS_STEPS", 100)
 
 func testClusterArgs(tr *SeqTracker) base.TestClusterArgs {
 	storeKnobs := &kvserver.StoreTestingKnobs{