diff --git a/src/bin/pg_dump/t/002_pg_dump.pl b/src/bin/pg_dump/t/002_pg_dump.pl
index f834afaf569..5c8b96ece2b 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_dump/t/002_pg_dump.pl
+++ b/src/bin/pg_dump/t/002_pg_dump.pl
@@ -258,7 +258,8 @@ my %pgdump_runs = (
 			'--no-sync',
 			"--file=$tempdir/only_dump_test_table.sql",
 			'--table=dump_test.test_table',
-			'--lock-wait-timeout=1000000',
+			'--lock-wait-timeout='
+			  . (1000 * $TestLib::timeout_default),
 			'postgres',
 		],
 	},
diff --git a/src/bin/pgbench/t/022_cic.pl b/src/bin/pgbench/t/022_cic.pl
index a1cda5b47ae..2a874bdf26e 100644
--- a/src/bin/pgbench/t/022_cic.pl
+++ b/src/bin/pgbench/t/022_cic.pl
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ my ($node, $result);
 #
 $node = get_new_node('CIC_test');
 $node->init;
-$node->append_conf('postgresql.conf', 'lock_timeout = 180000');
+$node->append_conf('postgresql.conf',
+	'lock_timeout = ' . (1000 * $TestLib::timeout_default));
 $node->start;
 $node->safe_psql('postgres', q(CREATE TABLE tbl(i int)));
 $node->safe_psql('postgres', q(CREATE INDEX idx ON tbl(i)));
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ $node->safe_psql(
 # Run background pgbench with CIC. We cannot mix-in this script into single
 # pgbench: CIC will deadlock with itself occasionally.
 my $pgbench_out   = '';
-my $pgbench_timer = IPC::Run::timeout(180);
+my $pgbench_timer = IPC::Run::timeout($TestLib::timeout_default);
 my $pgbench_h     = $node->background_pgbench(
 	'--no-vacuum --client=1 --transactions=200',
 	{
diff --git a/src/bin/pgbench/t/023_cic_2pc.pl b/src/bin/pgbench/t/023_cic_2pc.pl
index 5d695819a34..b1355a24601 100644
--- a/src/bin/pgbench/t/023_cic_2pc.pl
+++ b/src/bin/pgbench/t/023_cic_2pc.pl
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ my ($node, $result);
 $node = get_new_node('CIC_2PC_test');
 $node->init;
 $node->append_conf('postgresql.conf', 'max_prepared_transactions = 10');
-$node->append_conf('postgresql.conf', 'lock_timeout = 180000');
+$node->append_conf('postgresql.conf',
+	'lock_timeout = ' . (1000 * $TestLib::timeout_default));
 $node->start;
 $node->safe_psql('postgres', q(CREATE TABLE tbl(i int)));
 $node->safe_psql(
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ $node->safe_psql(
 
 my $main_in    = '';
 my $main_out   = '';
-my $main_timer = IPC::Run::timeout(180);
+my $main_timer = IPC::Run::timeout($TestLib::timeout_default);
 
 my $main_h =
   $node->background_psql('postgres', \$main_in, \$main_out,
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ pump $main_h until $main_out =~ /syncpoint1/ || $main_timer->is_expired;
 
 my $cic_in    = '';
 my $cic_out   = '';
-my $cic_timer = IPC::Run::timeout(180);
+my $cic_timer = IPC::Run::timeout($TestLib::timeout_default);
 my $cic_h =
   $node->background_psql('postgres', \$cic_in, \$cic_out,
 	$cic_timer, on_error_stop => 1);
@@ -131,9 +132,10 @@ PREPARE TRANSACTION 'persists_forever';
 ));
 $node->restart;
 
-my $reindex_in    = '';
-my $reindex_out   = '';
-my $reindex_timer = IPC::Run::timeout(180);
+my $reindex_in  = '';
+my $reindex_out = '';
+my $reindex_timer =
+  IPC::Run::timeout($TestLib::timeout_default);
 my $reindex_h =
   $node->background_psql('postgres', \$reindex_in, \$reindex_out,
 	$reindex_timer, on_error_stop => 1);
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ $node->safe_psql('postgres', q(REINDEX TABLE tbl;));
 # Run background pgbench with CIC. We cannot mix-in this script into single
 # pgbench: CIC will deadlock with itself occasionally.
 my $pgbench_out   = '';
-my $pgbench_timer = IPC::Run::timeout(180);
+my $pgbench_timer = IPC::Run::timeout($TestLib::timeout_default);
 my $pgbench_h     = $node->background_pgbench(
 	'--no-vacuum --client=1 --transactions=100',
 	{
diff --git a/src/bin/scripts/t/080_pg_isready.pl b/src/bin/scripts/t/080_pg_isready.pl
index 6da89e1b04f..fc2f54f061c 100644
--- a/src/bin/scripts/t/080_pg_isready.pl
+++ b/src/bin/scripts/t/080_pg_isready.pl
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ my $node = get_new_node('main');
 $node->init;
 $node->start;
 
-# use a long timeout for the benefit of very slow buildfarm machines
-$node->command_ok([qw(pg_isready --timeout=60)],
+$node->command_ok(
+	[ 'pg_isready', "--timeout=$TestLib::timeout_default" ],
 	'succeeds with server running');
diff --git a/src/test/perl/PostgresNode.pm b/src/test/perl/PostgresNode.pm
index 556052f6c6b..2816284aa02 100644
--- a/src/test/perl/PostgresNode.pm
+++ b/src/test/perl/PostgresNode.pm
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ PostgresNode - class representing PostgreSQL server instance
   my ($stdout, $stderr, $timed_out);
   my $cmdret = $node->psql('postgres', 'SELECT pg_sleep(600)',
 	  stdout => \$stdout, stderr => \$stderr,
-	  timeout => 180, timed_out => \$timed_out,
+	  timeout => $TestLib::timeout_default,
+	  timed_out => \$timed_out,
 	  extra_params => ['--single-transaction'],
 	  on_error_die => 1)
   print "Sleep timed out" if $timed_out;
@@ -1363,7 +1364,8 @@ e.g.
 	my ($stdout, $stderr, $timed_out);
 	my $cmdret = $node->psql('postgres', 'SELECT pg_sleep(600)',
 		stdout => \$stdout, stderr => \$stderr,
-		timeout => 180, timed_out => \$timed_out,
+		timeout => $TestLib::timeout_default,
+		timed_out => \$timed_out,
 		extra_params => ['--single-transaction'])
 
 will set $cmdret to undef and $timed_out to a true value.
@@ -1520,7 +1522,8 @@ scalar reference.  This allows the caller to act on other parts of the system
 while idling this backend.
 
 The specified timer object is attached to the harness, as well.  It's caller's
-responsibility to select the timeout length, and to restart the timer after
+responsibility to set the timeout length (usually
+$TestLib::timeout_default), and to restart the timer after
 each command if the timeout is per-command.
 
 psql is invoked in tuples-only unaligned mode with reading of B<.psqlrc>
@@ -1741,7 +1744,7 @@ sub background_pgbench
 Run B<$query> repeatedly, until it returns the B<$expected> result
 ('t', or SQL boolean true, by default).
 Continues polling if B<psql> returns an error result.
-Times out after 180 seconds.
+Times out after $TestLib::timeout_default seconds.
 Returns 1 if successful, 0 if timed out.
 
 =cut
@@ -1754,7 +1757,7 @@ sub poll_query_until
 
 	my $cmd = [ 'psql', '-XAt', '-d', $self->connstr($dbname) ];
 	my ($stdout, $stderr);
-	my $max_attempts = 180 * 10;
+	my $max_attempts = 10 * $TestLib::timeout_default;
 	my $attempts     = 0;
 
 	while ($attempts < $max_attempts)
@@ -1776,8 +1779,8 @@ sub poll_query_until
 		$attempts++;
 	}
 
-	# The query result didn't change in 180 seconds. Give up. Print the
-	# output from the last attempt, hopefully that's useful for debugging.
+	# Give up. Print the output from the last attempt, hopefully that's useful
+	# for debugging.
 	diag qq(poll_query_until timed out executing this query:
 $query
 expecting this output:
diff --git a/src/test/perl/TestLib.pm b/src/test/perl/TestLib.pm
index 74b7e6e06e9..c48e524dd15 100644
--- a/src/test/perl/TestLib.pm
+++ b/src/test/perl/TestLib.pm
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ our @EXPORT = qw(
   $windows_os
 );
 
-our ($windows_os, $tmp_check, $log_path, $test_logfile);
+our ($windows_os, $timeout_default, $tmp_check, $log_path, $test_logfile);
 
 BEGIN
 {
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ BEGIN
 		require Win32API::File;
 		Win32API::File->import(qw(createFile OsFHandleOpen CloseHandle));
 	}
+
+	$timeout_default = $ENV{PG_TEST_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT};
+	$timeout_default = 180
+	  if not defined $timeout_default or $timeout_default eq '';
 }
 
 INIT
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/006_logical_decoding.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/006_logical_decoding.pl
index 1334bf6a601..2237a9bcdcb 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/t/006_logical_decoding.pl
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/006_logical_decoding.pl
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ $node_master->safe_psql('postgres',
 );
 
 my $stdout_recv = $node_master->pg_recvlogical_upto(
-	'postgres', 'test_slot', $endpos, 180,
+	'postgres', 'test_slot', $endpos, $TestLib::timeout_default,
 	'include-xids'     => '0',
 	'skip-empty-xacts' => '1');
 chomp($stdout_recv);
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ $node_master->poll_query_until('postgres',
 ) or die "slot never became inactive";
 
 $stdout_recv = $node_master->pg_recvlogical_upto(
-	'postgres', 'test_slot', $endpos, 180,
+	'postgres', 'test_slot', $endpos, $TestLib::timeout_default,
 	'include-xids'     => '0',
 	'skip-empty-xacts' => '1');
 chomp($stdout_recv);
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/010_logical_decoding_timelines.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/010_logical_decoding_timelines.pl
index f124ef2179a..c4d99c7b861 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/t/010_logical_decoding_timelines.pl
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/010_logical_decoding_timelines.pl
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ like(
 ($ret, $stdout, $stderr) = $node_replica->psql(
 	'postgres',
 	"SELECT data FROM pg_logical_slot_peek_changes('before_basebackup', NULL, NULL, 'include-xids', '0', 'skip-empty-xacts', '1');",
-	timeout => 180);
+	timeout => $TestLib::timeout_default);
 is($ret, 0, 'replay from slot before_basebackup succeeds');
 
 my $final_expected_output_bb = q(BEGIN
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ my $endpos = $node_replica->safe_psql('postgres',
 
 $stdout = $node_replica->pg_recvlogical_upto(
 	'postgres', 'before_basebackup',
-	$endpos,    180,
+	$endpos,    $TestLib::timeout_default,
 	'include-xids'     => '0',
 	'skip-empty-xacts' => '1');
 
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/013_crash_restart.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/013_crash_restart.pl
index 44ae421647b..db698a43efe 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/t/013_crash_restart.pl
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/013_crash_restart.pl
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ plan tests => 18;
 # instance being driven by us, add a timeout high enough that it
 # should never trigger even on very slow machines, unless something
 # is really wrong.
-my $psql_timeout = IPC::Run::timer(60);
+my $psql_timeout = IPC::Run::timer($TestLib::timeout_default);
 
 my $node = get_new_node('master');
 $node->init(allows_streaming => 1);
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/017_shm.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/017_shm.pl
index 52f3dd993c9..0ae57c61b01 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/t/017_shm.pl
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/017_shm.pl
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ my $slow_client = IPC::Run::start(
 	\$stdout,
 	'2>',
 	\$stderr,
-	IPC::Run::timeout(900));    # five times the poll_query_until timeout
+	IPC::Run::timeout(5 * $TestLib::timeout_default));
 ok( $gnat->poll_query_until(
 		'postgres',
 		"SELECT 1 FROM pg_stat_activity WHERE query = '$slow_query'", '1'),
@@ -133,10 +133,11 @@ $gnat->kill9;
 unlink($gnat->data_dir . '/postmaster.pid');
 $gnat->rotate_logfile;
 log_ipcs();
-# Reject ordinary startup.  Retry for the same reasons poll_start() does.
+# Reject ordinary startup.  Retry for the same reasons poll_start() does,
+# every 0.1s for at least $TestLib::timeout_default seconds.
 my $pre_existing_msg = qr/pre-existing shared memory block/;
 {
-	my $max_attempts = 180 * 10;    # Retry every 0.1s for at least 180s.
+	my $max_attempts = 10 * $TestLib::timeout_default;
 	my $attempts     = 0;
 	while ($attempts < $max_attempts)
 	{
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ sub poll_start
 {
 	my ($node) = @_;
 
-	my $max_attempts = 180 * 10;
+	my $max_attempts = 10 * $TestLib::timeout_default;
 	my $attempts     = 0;
 
 	while ($attempts < $max_attempts)
@@ -202,8 +203,8 @@ sub poll_start
 		$attempts++;
 	}
 
-	# No success within 180 seconds.  Try one last time without fail_ok, which
-	# will BAIL_OUT unless it succeeds.
+	# Try one last time without fail_ok, which will BAIL_OUT unless it
+	# succeeds.
 	$node->start && return 1;
 	return 0;
 }