diff --git a/src/gateway/client.e2e.test.ts b/src/gateway/client.e2e.test.ts
index 2b7978b19da..4a4f15f815e 100644
--- a/src/gateway/client.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/client.e2e.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ describe("GatewayClient", () => {
     const closed = new Promise<{ code: number; reason: string }>((resolve) => {
       const client = new GatewayClient({
         url: `ws://127.0.0.1:${port}`,
+        connectDelayMs: 0,
         onClose: (code, reason) => resolve({ code, reason }),
       });
       client.start();
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ r1USnb+wUdA7Zoj/mQ==
       }, 2000);
       client = new GatewayClient({
         url: `wss://127.0.0.1:${port}`,
+        connectDelayMs: 0,
         tlsFingerprint: "deadbeef",
         onConnectError: (err) => {
           clearTimeout(timeout);
diff --git a/src/gateway/client.ts b/src/gateway/client.ts
index 5a492c8c351..d19824c6abf 100644
--- a/src/gateway/client.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/client.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type Pending = {
 
 export type GatewayClientOptions = {
   url?: string; // ws://127.0.0.1:18789
+  connectDelayMs?: number;
   token?: string;
   password?: string;
   instanceId?: string;
@@ -338,12 +339,17 @@ export class GatewayClient {
   private queueConnect() {
     this.connectNonce = null;
     this.connectSent = false;
+    const rawConnectDelayMs = this.opts.connectDelayMs;
+    const connectDelayMs =
+      typeof rawConnectDelayMs === "number" && Number.isFinite(rawConnectDelayMs)
+        ? Math.max(0, Math.min(5_000, rawConnectDelayMs))
+        : 750;
     if (this.connectTimer) {
       clearTimeout(this.connectTimer);
     }
     this.connectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
       this.sendConnect();
-    }, 750);
+    }, connectDelayMs);
   }
 
   private scheduleReconnect() {
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.roles-allowlist-update.e2e.test.ts b/src/gateway/server.roles-allowlist-update.e2e.test.ts
index 873c8d65e2d..9fa8b3f9e7d 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.roles-allowlist-update.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.roles-allowlist-update.e2e.test.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ const connectNodeClient = async (params: {
   });
   const client = new GatewayClient({
     url: `ws://127.0.0.1:${params.port}`,
+    connectDelayMs: 0,
     token,
     role: "node",
     clientName: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.NODE_HOST,
diff --git a/test/gateway.multi.e2e.test.ts b/test/gateway.multi.e2e.test.ts
index 7f98d779bb3..caafa416f6d 100644
--- a/test/gateway.multi.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/test/gateway.multi.e2e.test.ts
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ const connectNode = async (
 
   const client = new GatewayClient({
     url: `ws://127.0.0.1:${inst.port}`,
+    connectDelayMs: 0,
     token: inst.gatewayToken,
     clientName: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.NODE_HOST,
     clientDisplayName: label,
@@ -327,6 +328,7 @@ const connectStatusClient = async (
 
     const client = new GatewayClient({
       url: `ws://127.0.0.1:${inst.port}`,
+      connectDelayMs: 0,
       token: inst.gatewayToken,
       clientName: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.CLI,
       clientDisplayName: `status-${inst.name}`,
diff --git a/test/provider-timeout.e2e.test.ts b/test/provider-timeout.e2e.test.ts
index 82779cb4983..6b547cfc6f8 100644
--- a/test/provider-timeout.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/test/provider-timeout.e2e.test.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ async function connectClient(params: { url: string; token: string }) {
     };
     const client = new GatewayClient({
       url: params.url,
+      connectDelayMs: 0,
       token: params.token,
       clientName: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.TEST,
       clientDisplayName: "vitest-timeout-fallback",