diff --git a/configfile.h b/configfile.h
index d1eef273..7877dcf7 100644
--- a/configfile.h
+++ b/configfile.h
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 	/* undocumented test settings */
 	int			promote_delay;
+	int			failover_delay;
 } t_configuration_options;
 
 /*
@@ -243,8 +244,9 @@ typedef struct
 		/* barman settings */ \
 		"", "", "",	 \
 		/* rsync/ssh settings */ \
-		 "", "", \
+		"", "", \
 		/* undocumented test settings */ \
+		0, \
 		0 \
  }
 
diff --git a/repmgrd-physical.c b/repmgrd-physical.c
index 3948f688..5aff2532 100644
--- a/repmgrd-physical.c
+++ b/repmgrd-physical.c
@@ -4100,6 +4100,12 @@ do_election(NodeInfoList *sibling_nodes, int *new_primary_id)
 
 		return ELECTION_NOT_CANDIDATE;
 	}
+	if (config_file_options.failover_delay > 0)
+	{
+		log_debug("sleeping %i seconds (\"failover_delay\") before initiating failover",
+				  config_file_options.failover_delay);
+		sleep(config_file_options.failover_delay);
+	}
 
 	/* node priority is set to zero - don't become a candidate, and lose by default */
 	if (local_node_info.priority <= 0)