diff --git a/master/buildbot/buildslave/base.py b/master/buildbot/buildslave/base.py
index 286a605ae59..6c182bdbb26 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/buildslave/base.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/buildslave/base.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class AbstractBuildSlave(service.ReconfigurableServiceMixin,
     reconfig_priority = 64
 
     def __init__(self, name, password, max_builds=None,
-                 notify_on_missing=None, missing_timeout=3600,
+                 notify_on_missing=None,
+                 missing_timeout=10 * 60,   # Ten minutes
                  properties=None, locks=None, keepalive_interval=3600):
         """
         @param name: botname this machine will supply when it connects
diff --git a/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_base.py b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_base.py
index 81ed06d86ab..cb3f8bb9a32 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_base.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_base.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def test_constructor_minimal(self):
         self.assertEqual(bs.password, 'pass')
         self.assertEqual(bs.max_builds, None)
         self.assertEqual(bs.notify_on_missing, [])
-        self.assertEqual(bs.missing_timeout, 3600)
+        self.assertEqual(bs.missing_timeout, 10 * 60)
         self.assertEqual(bs.properties.getProperty('slavename'), 'bot')
         self.assertEqual(bs.access, [])
 
diff --git a/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_libvirt.py b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_libvirt.py
index fde385d2e48..c43daf1b50e 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_libvirt.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_buildslave_libvirt.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def test_constructor_minimal(self):
         self.assertEqual(bs.image, 'path')
         self.assertEqual(bs.base_image, 'otherpath')
         # XXX(sa2ajj): interesting test, this probably needs to be an external constant
-        self.assertEqual(bs.missing_timeout, 3600)
+        self.assertEqual(bs.missing_timeout, 10 * 60)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def test_find_existing(self):