diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index b1ee8aa52..b621ad2cf 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -341,6 +341,14 @@ function configure_neutron_defaults {
     fi
     iniset "$KURYR_CONFIG" neutron_defaults external_svc_net "$ext_svc_net_id"
     iniset "$KURYR_CONFIG" octavia_defaults member_mode "$KURYR_K8S_OCTAVIA_MEMBER_MODE"
+    if [[ "$use_octavia" == "True" ]]; then
+        # Octavia takes a very long time to start the LB in the gate. We need
+        # to tweak the timeout for the LB creation. Let's be generous and give
+        # it up to 20 minutes.
+        # FIXME(dulek): This might be removed when bug 1753653 is fixed and
+        #               Kuryr restarts waiting for LB on timeouts.
+        iniset "$KURYR_CONFIG" neutron_defaults lbaas_activation_timeout 1200
+    fi
 }
 
 function configure_k8s_pod_sg_rules {
diff --git a/kuryr_kubernetes/config.py b/kuryr_kubernetes/config.py
index ea5193b75..04dd3d77c 100644
--- a/kuryr_kubernetes/config.py
+++ b/kuryr_kubernetes/config.py
@@ -161,6 +161,10 @@ neutron_defaults = [
     cfg.StrOpt('external_svc_subnet',
                help=_("Optional external subnet ID for Kubernetes services"),
                default=None),
+    cfg.IntOpt('lbaas_activation_timeout',
+               help=_("Time (in seconds) that kuryr controller waits for "
+                      "neutron LBaaS to be activated"),
+               default=300),
 ]
 
 octavia_defaults = [
diff --git a/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/drivers/lbaasv2.py b/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/drivers/lbaasv2.py
index c7504969e..fada12d02 100644
--- a/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/drivers/lbaasv2.py
+++ b/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/drivers/lbaasv2.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import time
 import requests
 
 from neutronclient.common import exceptions as n_exc
+from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_utils import excutils
 from oslo_utils import timeutils
@@ -29,8 +30,10 @@ from kuryr_kubernetes.controller.drivers import base
 from kuryr_kubernetes import exceptions as k_exc
 from kuryr_kubernetes.objects import lbaas as obj_lbaas
 
+CONF = cfg.CONF
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-_ACTIVATION_TIMEOUT = 300
+
+_ACTIVATION_TIMEOUT = CONF.neutron_defaults.lbaas_activation_timeout
 _SUPPORTED_LISTENER_PROT = ('HTTP', 'HTTPS', 'TCP')
 
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/make-lbaas-timeout-configurable-8624ea32971c0cbe.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/make-lbaas-timeout-configurable-8624ea32971c0cbe.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca2ef3bef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/make-lbaas-timeout-configurable-8624ea32971c0cbe.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    As the openstack performance differs in production environments,
+    fixed timeout of LBaaS activation might create the kuryr-kubernetes error.
+    In order to adapt to the environment, a new option
+    ``[neutron_defaults]lbaas_activation_timeout`` was added.