diff --git a/core/peer/deliverevents.go b/core/peer/deliverevents.go
index 85f5798c9fc..2df43707524 100644
--- a/core/peer/deliverevents.go
+++ b/core/peer/deliverevents.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package peer
 
 import (
 	"runtime/debug"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/common/deliver"
@@ -127,10 +128,15 @@ func (s *server) Deliver(srv peer.Deliver_DeliverServer) error {
 	return s.dh.Handle(deliver.NewDeliverServer(srvSupport, s.policyCheckerProvider(resources.BLOCKEVENT), s.sendProducer(srv)))
 }
 
-// NewDeliverEventsServer creates an peer.Deliver server to take to deliver block and filtered block events
+// NewDeliverEventsServer creates a peer.Deliver server to deliver block and
+// filtered block events
 func NewDeliverEventsServer(mutualTLS bool, policyCheckerProvider PolicyCheckerProvider, supportManager deliver.SupportManager) peer.DeliverServer {
 	timeWindow := viper.GetDuration("peer.authentication.timewindow")
-
+	if timeWindow == 0*time.Minute {
+		defaultTimeWindow := 15 * time.Minute
+		logger.Warningf("`peer.authentication.timewindow` not set; defaulting to %s", defaultTimeWindow)
+		timeWindow = defaultTimeWindow
+	}
 	return &server{
 		dh: deliver.NewHandlerImpl(supportManager, timeWindow, mutualTLS),
 		policyCheckerProvider: policyCheckerProvider,
diff --git a/orderer/common/localconfig/config.go b/orderer/common/localconfig/config.go
index 6e1fbb53d94..b1ddf20f54a 100644
--- a/orderer/common/localconfig/config.go
+++ b/orderer/common/localconfig/config.go
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ func (c *TopLevel) completeInitialization(configDir string) {
 			logger.Infof("General.LocalMSPID unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.LocalMSPID)
 			c.General.LocalMSPID = defaults.General.LocalMSPID
 
+		case c.General.Authentication.TimeWindow == 0*time.Minute:
+			logger.Infof("General.Authentication.TimeWindow unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.Authentication.TimeWindow)
+			c.General.Authentication.TimeWindow = defaults.General.Authentication.TimeWindow
+
 		case c.FileLedger.Prefix == "":
 			logger.Infof("FileLedger.Prefix unset, setting to %s", defaults.FileLedger.Prefix)
 			c.FileLedger.Prefix = defaults.FileLedger.Prefix