diff --git a/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/worker/WorkerFactoryOptions.java b/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/worker/WorkerFactoryOptions.java
index e7d01a1a67..1a60566d00 100644
--- a/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/worker/WorkerFactoryOptions.java
+++ b/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/worker/WorkerFactoryOptions.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public static WorkerFactoryOptions getDefaultInstance() {
   private static final int DEFAULT_HOST_LOCAL_WORKFLOW_POLL_THREAD_COUNT = 5;
   private static final int DEFAULT_WORKFLOW_CACHE_SIZE = 600;
   private static final int DEFAULT_MAX_WORKFLOW_THREAD_COUNT = 600;
+  private static final Duration DEFAULT_STICKY_SCHEDULE_TO_START_TIMEOUT = Duration.ofSeconds(5);
 
   private static final WorkerFactoryOptions DEFAULT_INSTANCE;
 
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ public static WorkerFactoryOptions getDefaultInstance() {
   }
 
   public static class Builder {
+
     private Duration workflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout;
     private int workflowCacheSize;
     private int maxWorkflowThreadCount;
@@ -185,6 +187,9 @@ private WorkerFactoryOptions(
             !workflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout.isNegative(),
             "negative workflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeoutSeconds");
       }
+      if (workflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout == null) {
+        workflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout = DEFAULT_STICKY_SCHEDULE_TO_START_TIMEOUT;
+      }
       if (workflowInterceptors == null) {
         workflowInterceptors = new WorkflowInterceptor[0];
       }
diff --git a/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/workflow/WorkflowTest.java b/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/workflow/WorkflowTest.java
index cab14620a4..b62737c692 100644
--- a/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/workflow/WorkflowTest.java
+++ b/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/workflow/WorkflowTest.java
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ public WorkflowStub newUntypedWorkflowStub(
         WorkerFactoryOptions.newBuilder()
             .setWorkflowInterceptors(tracer)
             .setActivityInterceptors(activityInterceptor)
+            .setWorkflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout(Duration.ZERO)
             .setWorkflowHostLocalTaskQueueScheduleToStartTimeout(
                 versionTest ? Duration.ZERO : Duration.ofSeconds(10))
             .build();