diff --git a/tests/funcs/filter.sh b/tests/funcs/filter.sh
index 6d1185f6..8d691237 100644
--- a/tests/funcs/filter.sh
+++ b/tests/funcs/filter.sh
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ t_filter_dmesg()
 	re="$re|scoutfs .* error: meta_super META flag not set"
 	re="$re|scoutfs .* error: could not open metadev:.*"
 	re="$re|scoutfs .* error: Unknown or malformed option,.*"
+	re="$re|scoutfs .* error: invalid quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms value"
 
 	# in debugging kernels we can slow things down a bit
 	re="$re|hrtimer: interrupt took .*"
diff --git a/tests/golden/quorum-heartbeat-timeout b/tests/golden/quorum-heartbeat-timeout
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff389993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/golden/quorum-heartbeat-timeout
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+== bad timeout values fail
+== test different timeouts
diff --git a/tests/sequence b/tests/sequence
index 0bbf6315..6638fae6 100644
--- a/tests/sequence
+++ b/tests/sequence
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ setup-error-teardown.sh
 resize-devices.sh
 change-devices.sh
 fence-and-reclaim.sh
+quorum-heartbeat-timeout.sh
 orphan-inodes.sh
 mount-unmount-race.sh
 client-unmount-recovery.sh
diff --git a/tests/tests/quorum-heartbeat-timeout.sh b/tests/tests/quorum-heartbeat-timeout.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d0eb906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests/quorum-heartbeat-timeout.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#
+# test that the quorum_heartbeat_time_ms option affects how long it
+# takes to recover from a failed mount.
+#
+
+t_require_mounts 2
+
+time_ms()
+{
+	# time_t in seconds, then trunate nanoseconds to 3 most dig digits
+	date +%s%3N
+}
+
+set_bad_timeout() {
+	local to="$1"
+	t_set_sysfs_mount_option 0 quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms $to && \
+		t_fail "set bad q hb to $to"
+}
+
+set_quorum_timeouts()
+{
+	local to="$1"
+	local was
+	local is
+
+	for nr in $(t_quorum_nrs); do
+		local mnt="$(eval echo \$T_M$nr)"
+
+		was=$(t_get_sysfs_mount_option $nr quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms)
+		t_set_sysfs_mount_option $nr quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms $to
+		is=$(t_get_sysfs_mount_option $nr quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms)
+
+		if [ "$is" != "$to" ]; then
+			t_fail "tried to set qhbto on $nr to $to but got $is"
+		fi
+	done
+}
+
+test_timeout()
+{
+	local to="$1"
+	local orig_to
+	local start
+	local nr
+	local delay
+
+	# set new timeouts, saving original
+	orig_to=$(t_get_sysfs_mount_option 0 quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms)
+	set_quorum_timeouts $to
+
+	# give followers time to recv heartbeats and reset timeouts
+	sleep 1
+
+	# tear down the current server/leader
+	nr=$(t_server_nr)
+	t_force_umount $nr
+
+	# see how long it takes for the next leader to start
+	start=$(time_ms)
+	t_wait_for_leader
+	delay=$(($(time_ms) - start))
+
+	# kind of fun to have these logged
+	echo "to $to delay $delay" >> $T_TMP.delay
+
+	# restore the mount that we tore down
+	t_mount $nr
+
+	# reset the original timeouts
+	set_quorum_timeouts $orig_to
+
+	# make sure the new leader delay was reasonable
+	test "$delay" -gt "$to" || t_fail "delay $delay < to $to"
+	# allow 5 seconds of slop
+	test "$delay" -lt $(($to + 5000)) || t_fail "delay $delay > to $to + 5sec"
+}
+
+echo "== bad timeout values fail"
+set_bad_timeout 0
+set_bad_timeout -1
+set_bad_timeout 1000000
+
+echo "== test different timeouts"
+def=$(t_get_sysfs_mount_option 0 quorum_heartbeat_timeout_ms)
+test_timeout $def
+test_timeout 3000
+test_timeout $((def + 19000))
+
+t_pass