diff --git a/astara/test/functional/test_tenant_router.py b/astara/test/functional/test_tenant_router.py
index c9163204..a13b4033 100644
--- a/astara/test/functional/test_tenant_router.py
+++ b/astara/test/functional/test_tenant_router.py
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ class AstaraRouterTestBase(base.AstaraFunctionalBase):
         router = self.neutronclient.show_router(self.router['id'])
         self.router = router['router']
 
-    HA_ROUTER = False
-
     @property
     def router_ha(self):
         router = self.admin_clients.neutronclient.show_router(
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ class TestAstaraHARouter(AstaraRouterTestBase):
         time.sleep(CONF.health_check_period)
 
         service_instances = self.get_router_appliance_server(
-            self.router['id'], ha_router=self.HA_ROUTER)
+            self.router['id'], retries=600, ha_router=self.HA_ROUTER)
         self.assertEqual(len(service_instances), 2)
         self.assertEqual(service_instances[0], backup)
 
diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index b0d5fd13..8a56932d 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ function configure_astara() {
     # NOTE(adam_g) When running in the gate on slow VMs, gunicorn workers in the appliance
     # sometimes hang during config update and eventually timeout after 60s.  Update
     # config_timeout in the RUG to reflect that timeout.
+    iniset $ASTARA_CONF DEFAULT alive_timeout 60
     iniset $ASTARA_CONF DEFAULT config_timeout 600
 
     iniset $ASTARA_CONF DEFAULT enabled_drivers $ASTARA_ENABLED_DRIVERS