diff --git a/internal/app/microfabd/config.go b/internal/app/microfabd/config.go
index f74505a..7ce2f41 100644
--- a/internal/app/microfabd/config.go
+++ b/internal/app/microfabd/config.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // Organization represents an organization in the configuration.
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	CapabilityLevel        string         `json:"capability_level"`
 	CouchDB                bool           `json:"couchdb"`
 	CertificateAuthorities bool           `json:"certificate_authorities"`
+	TimeoutString          string         `json:"timeout"`
+	Timeout                time.Duration  `json:"-"`
 }
 
 // DefaultConfig returns the default configuration.
@@ -67,6 +70,7 @@ func DefaultConfig() (*Config, error) {
 		CapabilityLevel:        "V2_0",
 		CouchDB:                true,
 		CertificateAuthorities: true,
+		TimeoutString:          "30s",
 	}
 	if env, ok := os.LookupEnv("MICROFAB_CONFIG"); ok {
 		err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(env), config)
@@ -77,5 +81,10 @@ func DefaultConfig() (*Config, error) {
 	if config.Port >= startPort && config.Port < endPort {
 		logger.Fatalf("Cannot specify port %d, must be outside port range %d-%d", config.Port, 2000, 3000)
 	}
+	timeout, err := time.ParseDuration(config.TimeoutString)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	config.Timeout = timeout
 	return config, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/app/microfabd/microfabd.go b/internal/app/microfabd/microfabd.go
index ee1cf8e..1c13c56 100644
--- a/internal/app/microfabd/microfabd.go
+++ b/internal/app/microfabd/microfabd.go
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ func (m *Microfab) createAndStartOrderer(organization *organization.Organization
 	m.Lock()
 	m.orderer = orderer
 	m.Unlock()
-	err = orderer.Start(m.endorsingOrganizations)
+	err = orderer.Start(m.endorsingOrganizations, m.config.Timeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ func (m *Microfab) waitForCouchDB() error {
 	m.Lock()
 	m.couchDB = couchDB
 	m.Unlock()
-	err = couchDB.WaitFor()
+	err = couchDB.WaitFor(m.config.Timeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ func (m *Microfab) createAndStartPeer(organization *organization.Organization, a
 	m.Lock()
 	m.peers = append(m.peers, peer)
 	m.Unlock()
-	err = peer.Start()
+	err = peer.Start(m.config.Timeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ func (m *Microfab) createAndStartCA(organization *organization.Organization, api
 	m.Lock()
 	m.cas = append(m.cas, theCA)
 	m.Unlock()
-	err = theCA.Start()
+	err = theCA.Start(m.config.Timeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/ca/runtime.go b/internal/pkg/ca/runtime.go
index 1e308d8..6c881ec 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/ca/runtime.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/ca/runtime.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Start starts the peer.
-func (c *CA) Start() error {
+func (c *CA) Start(timeout time.Duration) error {
 	logsDirectory := filepath.Join(c.directory, "logs")
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(logsDirectory, 0755); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -87,11 +87,11 @@ func (c *CA) Start() error {
 			errchan <- err
 		}
 	}()
-	timeout := time.After(10 * time.Second)
+	timeoutCh := time.After(timeout)
 	tick := time.Tick(250 * time.Millisecond)
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-timeout:
+		case <-timeoutCh:
 			c.Stop()
 			return errors.New("timeout whilst waiting for CA to start")
 		case err := <-errchan:
diff --git a/internal/pkg/couchdb/couchdb.go b/internal/pkg/couchdb/couchdb.go
index 04bdcde..576ddf4 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/couchdb/couchdb.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/couchdb/couchdb.go
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ func New(url string) (*CouchDB, error) {
 }
 
 // WaitFor waits for the CouchDB instance to start.
-func (c *CouchDB) WaitFor() error {
-	timeout := time.After(10 * time.Second)
+func (c *CouchDB) WaitFor(timeout time.Duration) error {
+	timeoutCh := time.After(timeout)
 	tick := time.Tick(250 * time.Millisecond)
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-timeout:
+		case <-timeoutCh:
 			return errors.New("timeout whilst waiting for CouchDB to start")
 		case <-tick:
 			if c.hasStarted() {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/orderer/runtime.go b/internal/pkg/orderer/runtime.go
index 8da38fd..5d7cbb0 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/orderer/runtime.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/orderer/runtime.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Start starts the orderer.
-func (o *Orderer) Start(consortium []*organization.Organization) error {
+func (o *Orderer) Start(consortium []*organization.Organization, timeout time.Duration) error {
 	err := o.createDirectories()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ func (o *Orderer) Start(consortium []*organization.Organization) error {
 			errchan <- err
 		}
 	}()
-	timeout := time.After(10 * time.Second)
+	timeoutCh := time.After(timeout)
 	tick := time.Tick(250 * time.Millisecond)
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-timeout:
+		case <-timeoutCh:
 			o.Stop()
 			return errors.New("timeout whilst waiting for orderer to start")
 		case err := <-errchan:
diff --git a/internal/pkg/peer/runtime.go b/internal/pkg/peer/runtime.go
index b81949e..6fa59b6 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/peer/runtime.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/peer/runtime.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Start starts the peer.
-func (p *Peer) Start() error {
+func (p *Peer) Start(timeout time.Duration) error {
 	err := p.createDirectories()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ func (p *Peer) Start() error {
 			errchan <- err
 		}
 	}()
-	timeout := time.After(10 * time.Second)
+	timeoutCh := time.After(timeout)
 	tick := time.Tick(250 * time.Millisecond)
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-timeout:
+		case <-timeoutCh:
 			p.Stop()
 			return errors.New("timeout whilst waiting for peer to start")
 		case err := <-errchan: