diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection.go b/p2p/conn/connection.go
index 04ca4228d..b49a45db0 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection.go
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ const (
 	minReadBufferSize  = 1024
 	minWriteBufferSize = 65536
 	updateStats        = 2 * time.Second
-	pingTimeout        = 40 * time.Second
-	pongTimeout        = 60 * time.Second
 
 	// some of these defaults are written in the user config
 	// flushThrottle, sendRate, recvRate
@@ -36,6 +34,8 @@ const (
 	defaultSendRate            = int64(512000) // 500KB/s
 	defaultRecvRate            = int64(512000) // 500KB/s
 	defaultSendTimeout         = 10 * time.Second
+	defaultPingTimeout         = 40 * time.Second
+	defaultPongTimeout         = 60 * time.Second
 )
 
 type receiveCbFunc func(chID byte, msgBytes []byte)
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ type MConnConfig struct {
 	MaxMsgPacketPayloadSize int
 
 	FlushThrottle time.Duration
+
+	pingTimeout time.Duration
+	pongTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
 func (cfg *MConnConfig) maxMsgPacketTotalSize() int {
@@ -113,6 +116,8 @@ func DefaultMConnConfig() *MConnConfig {
 		RecvRate:                defaultRecvRate,
 		MaxMsgPacketPayloadSize: defaultMaxMsgPacketPayloadSize,
 		FlushThrottle:           defaultFlushThrottle,
+		pingTimeout:             defaultPingTimeout,
+		pongTimeout:             defaultPongTimeout,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -172,8 +177,8 @@ func (c *MConnection) OnStart() error {
 	}
 	c.quit = make(chan struct{})
 	c.flushTimer = cmn.NewThrottleTimer("flush", c.config.FlushThrottle)
-	c.pingTimer = cmn.NewRepeatTimer("ping", pingTimeout)
-	c.pongTimer = cmn.NewThrottleTimer("pong", pongTimeout)
+	c.pingTimer = cmn.NewRepeatTimer("ping", c.config.pingTimeout)
+	c.pongTimer = cmn.NewThrottleTimer("pong", c.config.pongTimeout)
 	c.chStatsTimer = cmn.NewRepeatTimer("chStats", updateStats)
 	go c.sendRoutine()
 	go c.recvRoutine()
diff --git a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
index 3bac0bd61..5686af6a6 100644
--- a/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
+++ b/p2p/conn/connection_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ func createTestMConnection(conn net.Conn) *MConnection {
 
 func createMConnectionWithCallbacks(conn net.Conn, onReceive func(chID byte, msgBytes []byte), onError func(r interface{})) *MConnection {
 	chDescs := []*ChannelDescriptor{&ChannelDescriptor{ID: 0x01, Priority: 1, SendQueueCapacity: 1}}
-	c := NewMConnection(conn, chDescs, onReceive, onError)
+	cfg := DefaultMConnConfig()
+	cfg.pingTimeout = 40 * time.Millisecond
+	cfg.pongTimeout = 60 * time.Millisecond
+	c := NewMConnectionWithConfig(conn, chDescs, onReceive, onError, cfg)
 	c.SetLogger(log.TestingLogger())
 	return c
 }
@@ -142,7 +145,7 @@ func TestPingPongTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	case err := <-errorsCh:
 		assert.NotNil(err)
 		assert.False(mconn.IsRunning())
-	case <-time.After(500*time.Millisecond + 100*time.Second):
+	case <-time.After(10*time.Millisecond + mconn.config.pingTimeout + mconn.config.pongTimeout):
 		t.Fatal("Did not receive error in ~(pingTimeout + pongTimeout) seconds")
 	}
 }