diff --git a/config/internal.go b/config/internal.go
index dcd834e701c..a860c02c9cc 100644
--- a/config/internal.go
+++ b/config/internal.go
@@ -12,4 +12,5 @@ type InternalBitswap struct {
 	EngineBlockstoreWorkerCount OptionalInteger
 	EngineTaskWorkerCount       OptionalInteger
 	MaxOutstandingBytesPerPeer  OptionalInteger
+	ProviderSearchDelay         OptionalDuration
 }
diff --git a/core/node/bitswap.go b/core/node/bitswap.go
index 2b9cf641a1b..42b948f7520 100644
--- a/core/node/bitswap.go
+++ b/core/node/bitswap.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-bitswap"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-bitswap/network"
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	DefaultTaskWorkerCount             = 8
 	DefaultEngineTaskWorkerCount       = 8
 	DefaultMaxOutstandingBytesPerPeer  = 1 << 20
+	DefaultProviderSearchDelay         = 1000 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
 type bitswapOptionsOut struct {
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ func BitswapOptions(cfg *config.Config, provide bool) interface{} {
 
 		opts := []bitswap.Option{
 			bitswap.ProvideEnabled(provide),
+			bitswap.ProviderSearchDelay(internalBsCfg.ProviderSearchDelay.WithDefault(DefaultProviderSearchDelay)), // See https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/8807 for rationale
 			bitswap.EngineBlockstoreWorkerCount(int(internalBsCfg.EngineBlockstoreWorkerCount.WithDefault(DefaultEngineBlockstoreWorkerCount))),
 			bitswap.TaskWorkerCount(int(internalBsCfg.TaskWorkerCount.WithDefault(DefaultTaskWorkerCount))),
 			bitswap.EngineTaskWorkerCount(int(internalBsCfg.EngineTaskWorkerCount.WithDefault(DefaultEngineTaskWorkerCount))),