diff --git a/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go b/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
index c9d6aaded09..7fbcd910dda 100644
--- a/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
+++ b/core/deliverservice/deliveryclient.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/core/comm"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/core/deliverservice/blocksprovider"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/gossip/api"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/gossip/util"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/protos/orderer"
 	"github.com/op/go-logging"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
@@ -29,17 +30,17 @@ func init() {
 	logger = flogging.MustGetLogger("deliveryClient")
 }
 
+const (
+	defaultReConnectTotalTimeThreshold = time.Second * 60 * 60
+)
+
 var (
-	reConnectTotalTimeThreshold = time.Second * 60 * 5
-	connTimeout                 = time.Second * 3
-	reConnectBackoffThreshold   = float64(time.Hour)
+	connTimeout               = time.Second * 3
+	reConnectBackoffThreshold = float64(time.Hour)
 )
 
-// SetReconnectTotalTimeThreshold sets the total time the delivery service
-// may spend in reconnection attempts until its retry logic gives up
-// and returns an error
-func SetReconnectTotalTimeThreshold(duration time.Duration) {
-	reConnectTotalTimeThreshold = duration
+func getReConnectTotalTimeThreshold() time.Duration {
+	return util.GetDurationOrDefault("peer.deliveryclient.reconnectTotalTimeThreshold", defaultReConnectTotalTimeThreshold)
 }
 
 // DeliverService used to communicate with orderers to obtain
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ func (d *deliverServiceImpl) newClient(chainID string, ledgerInfoProvider blocks
 		return requester.RequestBlocks(ledgerInfoProvider)
 	}
 	backoffPolicy := func(attemptNum int, elapsedTime time.Duration) (time.Duration, bool) {
-		if elapsedTime.Nanoseconds() > reConnectTotalTimeThreshold.Nanoseconds() {
+		if elapsedTime.Nanoseconds() > getReConnectTotalTimeThreshold().Nanoseconds() {
 			return 0, false
 		}
 		sleepIncrement := float64(time.Millisecond * 500)
diff --git a/gossip/service/integration_test.go b/gossip/service/integration_test.go
index c1f86e431ba..41aeb2c9eda 100644
--- a/gossip/service/integration_test.go
+++ b/gossip/service/integration_test.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestLeaderYield(t *testing.T) {
 	// There isn't any orderer present so the leader peer won't be able to
 	// connect to the orderer, and should relinquish its leadership after a while.
 	// Make sure the other peer declares itself as the leader soon after.
-	deliverclient.SetReconnectTotalTimeThreshold(time.Second * 5)
+	viper.Set("peer.deliveryclient.reconnectTotalTimeThreshold", time.Second*5)
 	viper.Set("peer.gossip.useLeaderElection", true)
 	viper.Set("peer.gossip.orgLeader", false)
 	n := 2
diff --git a/sampleconfig/core.yaml b/sampleconfig/core.yaml
index 594b77d3064..0b5e86b5fc1 100644
--- a/sampleconfig/core.yaml
+++ b/sampleconfig/core.yaml
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ peer:
     # will not be identified as valid by other nodes.
     localMspId: DEFAULT
 
+    # Delivery service related config
+    deliveryclient:
+        # It sets the total time the delivery service may spend in reconnection
+        # attempts until its retry logic gives up and returns an error
+        reconnectTotalTimeThreshold: 3600s
+
     # Used with Go profiling tools only in none production environment. In
     # production, it should be disabled (eg enabled: false)
     profile: