diff --git a/project/settings.py b/project/settings.py
index e6db19bd5..8979e67c1 100644
--- a/project/settings.py
+++ b/project/settings.py
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ def split(string, delim):
 RABBITMQ_PORT = os.environ.get('RABBITMQ_PORT', '5672')
 RABBITMQ_MGMT_PORT = os.environ.get('RABBITMQ_MGMT_PORT', '15672')
 RABBITMQ_VHOST = os.environ.get('RABBITMQ_VHOST', '/')
+RABBITMQ_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT = int(os.environ.get('RABBITMQ_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT', 60))
 
 CELERY_BROKER_URL = os.environ.get('CELERY_BROKER_URL', 'amqp://{}:{}@{}:{}/{}'.format(RABBITMQ_USERNAME, RABBITMQ_PASSWORD, RABBITMQ_HOST, RABBITMQ_PORT, RABBITMQ_VHOST))
 
diff --git a/share/search/daemon.py b/share/search/daemon.py
index 4d33a5b50..5c155bf70 100644
--- a/share/search/daemon.py
+++ b/share/search/daemon.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 MINIMUM_BACKOFF_FACTOR = 1.6    # unitless ratio
 MAXIMUM_BACKOFF_FACTOR = 2.0    # unitless ratio
 MAXIMUM_BACKOFF_TIMEOUT = 60    # seconds
-CONNECTION_HEARTBEAT = 20       # seconds (see https://www.rabbitmq.com/docs/heartbeats#false-positives )
 
 
 class TooFastSlowDown(Exception):
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ class IndexerDaemonControl:
     def __init__(self, celery_app, *, daemonthread_context=None, stop_event=None):
         self.kombu_connection = kombu.Connection(
             celery_app.conf.broker_url,  # use celery_app.conf for consistent config
-            heartbeat=CONNECTION_HEARTBEAT,
+            heartbeat=settings.RABBITMQ_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT,
         )
         self.daemonthread_context = daemonthread_context
         self._daemonthreads = []