diff --git a/gossipsub.go b/gossipsub.go
index 7f5694d..5f82724 100644
--- a/gossipsub.go
+++ b/gossipsub.go
@@ -305,6 +305,21 @@ func WithDirectPeers(pis []peer.AddrInfo) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithDirectConnectTicks is a gossipsub router option that sets the number of
+// heartbeat ticks between attempting to reconnect direct peers that are not
+// currently connected. A "tick" is based on the heartbeat interval, which is
+// 1s by default. The default value for direct connect ticks is 300.
+func WithDirectConnectTicks(t uint64) Option {
+	return func(ps *PubSub) error {
+		gs, ok := ps.rt.(*GossipSubRouter)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("pubsub router is not gossipsub")
+		}
+		gs.directConnectTicks = t
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // GossipSubRouter is a router that implements the gossipsub protocol.
 // For each topic we have joined, we maintain an overlay through which
 // messages flow; this is the mesh map.
diff --git a/gossipsub_test.go b/gossipsub_test.go
index 68c43f0..2cd4f1a 100644
--- a/gossipsub_test.go
+++ b/gossipsub_test.go
@@ -1120,20 +1120,14 @@ func TestGossipsubStarTopologyWithSignedPeerRecords(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGossipsubDirectPeers(t *testing.T) {
-	originalGossipSubDirectConnectTicks := GossipSubDirectConnectTicks
-	GossipSubDirectConnectTicks = 2
-	defer func() {
-		GossipSubDirectConnectTicks = originalGossipSubDirectConnectTicks
-	}()
-
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
 
 	h := getNetHosts(t, ctx, 3)
 	psubs := []*PubSub{
-		getGossipsub(ctx, h[0]),
-		getGossipsub(ctx, h[1], WithDirectPeers([]peer.AddrInfo{peer.AddrInfo{h[2].ID(), h[2].Addrs()}})),
-		getGossipsub(ctx, h[2], WithDirectPeers([]peer.AddrInfo{peer.AddrInfo{h[1].ID(), h[1].Addrs()}})),
+		getGossipsub(ctx, h[0], WithDirectConnectTicks(2)),
+		getGossipsub(ctx, h[1], WithDirectPeers([]peer.AddrInfo{peer.AddrInfo{h[2].ID(), h[2].Addrs()}}), WithDirectConnectTicks(2)),
+		getGossipsub(ctx, h[2], WithDirectPeers([]peer.AddrInfo{peer.AddrInfo{h[1].ID(), h[1].Addrs()}}), WithDirectConnectTicks(2)),
 	}
 
 	connect(t, h[0], h[1])