diff --git a/examples/config/pushpin.conf b/examples/config/pushpin.conf
index 738b9d23..0b0ee6da 100644
--- a/examples/config/pushpin.conf
+++ b/examples/config/pushpin.conf
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ message_hwm=25000
 # set to report blocks counts in stats (content size / block size)
 #message_block_size=
 
+# max time (milliseconds) for out-of-order messages to wait
+message_wait=5000
+
 # time (seconds) to cache message ids
 id_cache_ttl=60
 
diff --git a/src/handler/app.cpp b/src/handler/app.cpp
index c8afbc68..f6fec267 100644
--- a/src/handler/app.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/app.cpp
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ class App::Private : public QObject
 		int messageRate = settings.value("handler/message_rate", -1).toInt();
 		int messageHwm = settings.value("handler/message_hwm", -1).toInt();
 		int messageBlockSize = settings.value("handler/message_block_size", -1).toInt();
+		int messageWait = settings.value("handler/message_wait", 5000).toInt();
 		int idCacheTtl = settings.value("handler/id_cache_ttl", 0).toInt();
 		int clientMaxconn = settings.value("runner/client_maxconn", 50000).toInt();
 		int connectionSubscriptionMax = settings.value("handler/connection_subscription_max", 20).toInt();
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ class App::Private : public QObject
 		config.messageRate = messageRate;
 		config.messageHwm = messageHwm;
 		config.messageBlockSize = messageBlockSize;
+		config.messageWait = messageWait;
 		config.idCacheTtl = idCacheTtl;
 		config.connectionsMax = clientMaxconn;
 		config.connectionSubscriptionMax = connectionSubscriptionMax;
diff --git a/src/handler/engine.cpp b/src/handler/engine.cpp
index d03b5352..591483bf 100644
--- a/src/handler/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/engine.cpp
@@ -1257,6 +1257,7 @@ class Engine::Private : public QObject
 		updateLimiter->setRate(10);
 		updateLimiter->setBatchWaitEnabled(true);
 
+		sequencer->setWaitMax(config.messageWait);
 		sequencer->setIdCacheTtl(config.idCacheTtl);
 
 		zhttpIn = new ZhttpManager(this);
diff --git a/src/handler/engine.h b/src/handler/engine.h
index dfa09396..f5a8af7c 100644
--- a/src/handler/engine.h
+++ b/src/handler/engine.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class Engine : public QObject
 		int messageRate;
 		int messageHwm;
 		int messageBlockSize;
+		int messageWait;
 		int idCacheTtl;
 		int connectionsMax;
 		int connectionSubscriptionMax;
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ class Engine : public QObject
 			messageRate(-1),
 			messageHwm(-1),
 			messageBlockSize(-1),
+			messageWait(-1),
 			idCacheTtl(-1),
 			connectionsMax(-1),
 			connectionSubscriptionMax(-1),
diff --git a/src/handler/sequencer.cpp b/src/handler/sequencer.cpp
index 8d11a648..3953ac92 100644
--- a/src/handler/sequencer.cpp
+++ b/src/handler/sequencer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2016-2017 Fanout, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2016-2021 Fanout, Inc.
  *
  * This file is part of Pushpin.
  *
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include "publishlastids.h"
 
 #define CHANNEL_PENDING_MAX 100
-#define PENDING_EXPIRE 5000
+#define DEFAULT_PENDING_EXPIRE 5000
 #define EXPIRE_INTERVAL 1000
 
 class Sequencer::Private : public QObject
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class Sequencer::Private : public QObject
 	QHash<QString, ChannelPendingItems> pendingItemsByChannel;
 	QMap<QPair<qint64, PendingItem*>, PendingItem*> pendingItemsByTime;
 	QTimer *expireTimer;
+	int pendingExpireMSecs;
 	int idCacheTtl;
 	QHash<QPair<QString, QString>, CachedId*> idCacheById;
 	QMap<QPair<qint64, CachedId*>, CachedId*> idCacheByExpireTime;
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ class Sequencer::Private : public QObject
 		QObject(_q),
 		q(_q),
 		lastIds(_publishLastIds),
+		pendingExpireMSecs(DEFAULT_PENDING_EXPIRE),
 		idCacheTtl(-1)
 	{
 		expireTimer = new QTimer(this);
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ private slots:
 	void expireTimer_timeout()
 	{
 		qint64 now = QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
-		qint64 threshold = now - PENDING_EXPIRE;
+		qint64 threshold = now - pendingExpireMSecs;
 
 		while(!pendingItemsByTime.isEmpty())
 		{
@@ -279,6 +281,11 @@ Sequencer::~Sequencer()
 	delete d;
 }
 
+void Sequencer::setWaitMax(int msecs)
+{
+	d->pendingExpireMSecs = msecs;
+}
+
 void Sequencer::setIdCacheTtl(int secs)
 {
 	d->idCacheTtl = secs;
diff --git a/src/handler/sequencer.h b/src/handler/sequencer.h
index 2f8fafc9..f7b6e99e 100644
--- a/src/handler/sequencer.h
+++ b/src/handler/sequencer.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2016-2017 Fanout, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2016-2021 Fanout, Inc.
  *
  * This file is part of Pushpin.
  *
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class Sequencer : public QObject
 	Sequencer(PublishLastIds *publishLastIds, QObject *parent = 0);
 	~Sequencer();
 
+	void setWaitMax(int msecs);
 	void setIdCacheTtl(int secs);
 
 	// seq = false means ID cache handling only