diff --git a/akka-typed/src/test/scala/akka/typed/PerformanceSpec.scala b/akka-typed/src/test/scala/akka/typed/PerformanceSpec.scala
index ee83a4df0c..84c1025adb 100644
--- a/akka-typed/src/test/scala/akka/typed/PerformanceSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-typed/src/test/scala/akka/typed/PerformanceSpec.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ import scala.concurrent.Await
 import scala.concurrent.Future
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 
-class PerformanceSpec extends TypedSpec {
+class PerformanceSpec extends TypedSpec(
+  ConfigFactory.parseString("""
+      # increase this if you do real benchmarking
+      akka.typed.PerformanceSpec.iterations=100000
+      """)) {
 
   object `A static behavior` {
 
@@ -56,15 +60,17 @@ class PerformanceSpec extends TypedSpec {
           }
         }
 
-      def `01 when warming up`(): Unit = sync(runTest("01")(behavior(1, 1, 1000000, "dispatcher-1")))
-      def `02 when using a single message on a single thread`(): Unit = sync(runTest("02")(behavior(1, 1, 1000000, "dispatcher-1")))
-      def `03 when using a 10 messages on a single thread`(): Unit = sync(runTest("03")(behavior(1, 10, 1000000, "dispatcher-1")))
-      def `04 when using a single message on two threads`(): Unit = sync(runTest("04")(behavior(1, 1, 1000000, "dispatcher-2")))
-      def `05 when using a 10 messages on two threads`(): Unit = sync(runTest("05")(behavior(1, 10, 1000000, "dispatcher-2")))
-      def `06 when using 4 pairs with a single message`(): Unit = sync(runTest("06")(behavior(4, 1, 1000000, "dispatcher-8")))
-      def `07 when using 4 pairs with 10 messages`(): Unit = sync(runTest("07")(behavior(4, 10, 1000000, "dispatcher-8")))
-      def `08 when using 8 pairs with a single message`(): Unit = sync(runTest("08")(behavior(8, 1, 1000000, "dispatcher-8")))
-      def `09 when using 8 pairs with 10 messages`(): Unit = sync(runTest("09")(behavior(8, 10, 1000000, "dispatcher-8")))
+      val iterations = system.settings.config.getInt("akka.typed.PerformanceSpec.iterations")
+
+      def `01 when warming up`(): Unit = sync(runTest("01")(behavior(1, 1, iterations, "dispatcher-1")))
+      def `02 when using a single message on a single thread`(): Unit = sync(runTest("02")(behavior(1, 1, iterations, "dispatcher-1")))
+      def `03 when using a 10 messages on a single thread`(): Unit = sync(runTest("03")(behavior(1, 10, iterations, "dispatcher-1")))
+      def `04 when using a single message on two threads`(): Unit = sync(runTest("04")(behavior(1, 1, iterations, "dispatcher-2")))
+      def `05 when using a 10 messages on two threads`(): Unit = sync(runTest("05")(behavior(1, 10, iterations, "dispatcher-2")))
+      def `06 when using 4 pairs with a single message`(): Unit = sync(runTest("06")(behavior(4, 1, iterations, "dispatcher-8")))
+      def `07 when using 4 pairs with 10 messages`(): Unit = sync(runTest("07")(behavior(4, 10, iterations, "dispatcher-8")))
+      def `08 when using 8 pairs with a single message`(): Unit = sync(runTest("08")(behavior(8, 1, iterations, "dispatcher-8")))
+      def `09 when using 8 pairs with 10 messages`(): Unit = sync(runTest("09")(behavior(8, 10, iterations, "dispatcher-8")))
 
     }
   }