diff --git a/roles/openafs-client/README.rst b/roles/openafs-client/README.rst
index 11556a921b..5934709ef5 100644
--- a/roles/openafs-client/README.rst
+++ b/roles/openafs-client/README.rst
@@ -43,3 +43,10 @@ role has limited platform support.  Currently supported are
    :default: no
 
    Enable or disable gpg checking for ``openafs_yum_repo_url``
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: openafs_client_service_timeout_sec
+   :default: 480
+
+   The TimeoutSec for service start.  Accounting for the cache
+   during startup can cause a high load which may necessitate
+   a longer startup timeout on some platforms.
diff --git a/roles/openafs-client/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/openafs-client/defaults/main.yaml
index 248bfcf8f5..4109dd3e1f 100644
--- a/roles/openafs-client/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/openafs-client/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 openafs_client_cell: 'openstack.org'
 openafs_client_cache_directory: '/var/cache/openafs'
-openafs_client_cache_size: 500000
\ No newline at end of file
+openafs_client_cache_size: 500000
+openafs_client_service_timeout_sec: 480
diff --git a/roles/openafs-client/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/openafs-client/tasks/main.yaml
index ef9ac34120..6ed5412f7c 100644
--- a/roles/openafs-client/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/openafs-client/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -62,6 +62,23 @@
     mode: 0700
   become: yes
 
+- name: Set timeout override
+  become: yes
+  block:
+    - name: Create service override directory
+      file:
+        path: '/etc/systemd/system/openafs-client.service.d'
+        state: directory
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: 0755
+    - name: Save override
+      template:
+        dest: '/etc/systemd/system/openafs-client.service.d/timeout.conf'
+        src: 'timeout.conf.j2'
+        group: root
+        mode: 0644
+
 - name: Setup OS specific openafs-client environment
   include_tasks: "{{ lookup('first_found', params) }}"
   vars:
diff --git a/roles/openafs-client/templates/timeout.conf.j2 b/roles/openafs-client/templates/timeout.conf.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..846ad410b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/openafs-client/templates/timeout.conf.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[Service]
+TimeoutSec={{ openafs_client_service_timeout_sec }}