diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 0197568..9c40760 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -155,6 +155,14 @@ pub struct BuilderConfig {
     )]
     pub max_host_gas_coefficient: Option<u8>,
 
+    /// Number of seconds before the end of the slot to stop querying for new blocks
+    #[from_env(
+        var = "BLOCK_QUERY_CUTOFF_BUFFER",
+        desc = "Number of seconds before the end of the slot to stop querying for new blocks",
+        default = 2
+    )]
+    pub block_query_cutoff_buffer: u64,
+
     /// The slot calculator for the builder.
     pub slot_calculator: SlotCalculator,
 
diff --git a/src/tasks/block/sim.rs b/src/tasks/block/sim.rs
index a294538..63b7641 100644
--- a/src/tasks/block/sim.rs
+++ b/src/tasks/block/sim.rs
@@ -253,7 +253,8 @@ impl Simulator {
         // We have the timepoint in seconds into the slot. To find out what's
         // remaining, we need to subtract it from the slot duration
         // we also subtract 3 seconds to account for the sequencer stopping signing.
-        let remaining = (self.slot_calculator().slot_duration() - timepoint).saturating_sub(3);
+        let remaining = (self.slot_calculator().slot_duration() - timepoint)
+            .saturating_sub(self.config.block_query_cutoff_buffer);
 
         let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(remaining);
         deadline.max(Instant::now())
diff --git a/src/test_utils.rs b/src/test_utils.rs
index c5c5ef4..636fe86 100644
--- a/src/test_utils.rs
+++ b/src/test_utils.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ pub fn setup_test_config() -> Result<BuilderConfig> {
             1740681556, // pecorino start timestamp as sane default
             0, 1,
         ),
+        block_query_cutoff_buffer: 2,
         max_host_gas_coefficient: Some(80),
         constants: SignetSystemConstants::pecorino(),
     };