diff --git a/demo/config/blockchain.yml b/demo/config/blockchain.yml
index 5c17deba..f2d841fa 100644
--- a/demo/config/blockchain.yml
+++ b/demo/config/blockchain.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ staging:
   rpc_whitelist: "*"
   datadir: default
   network_id: 0
+  deploy_timeout: 45
   console: true
   account:
     init: false
diff --git a/lib/config/blockchain.js b/lib/config/blockchain.js
index 15323a9a..d0dcdd50 100644
--- a/lib/config/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/config/blockchain.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ BlockchainConfig.prototype.config = function(env) {
     genesisBlock: config.genesis_block,
     datadir: config.datadir,
     chains: config.chains,
+    deployTimeout: config.deploy_timeout || 20,
     networkId: networkId,
     maxPeers: 4,
     port: config.port || "30303",
diff --git a/lib/deploy.js b/lib/deploy.js
index e1c84709..d75f7e31 100644
--- a/lib/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/deploy.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contract = function(contractObject, contractParams) {
   while ((receipt = web3.eth.getTransactionReceipt(transactionHash)) === null || receipt.contractAddress === null) {
     sleep(1000);
     time += 1;
-    if (time >= 20) {
+    if (time >= this.blockchainConfig.deployTimeout) {
       return false;
     }
   }
@@ -176,4 +176,3 @@ Deploy.prototype.generate_and_write_abi_file = function(destFile) {
 };
 
 module.exports = Deploy;
-
diff --git a/test/config.blockchain.js b/test/config.blockchain.js
index d9db6129..5f5cc9ff 100644
--- a/test/config.blockchain.js
+++ b/test/config.blockchain.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ describe('embark.config.blockchain', function() {
           genesis_block: 'config/genesis.json',
           datadir: '/tmp/embark',
           chains: 'chains_development.json',
+          deploy_timeout: 45,
           mine_when_needed: true,
           gas_limit: 123,
           gas_price: 100,
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ describe('embark.config.blockchain', function() {
         genesisBlock: 'config/genesis.json',
         datadir: '/tmp/embark',
         chains: 'chains_development.json',
+        deployTimeout: 45,
         networkId: 0,
         maxPeers: 4,
         port: "30303",
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ describe('embark.config.blockchain', function() {
         genesisBlock: undefined,
         datadir: '/tmp/embark',
         chains: undefined,
+        deployTimeout: 20,
         networkId: 0,
         maxPeers: 4,
         port: "30303",