diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 353cb98580..76a88f613f 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ akka {
     # This setting defines the maximum number of unacknowledged system messages
     # allowed for a remote system. If this limit is reached the remote system is
     # declared to be dead and its UID marked as tainted.
-    system-message-buffer-size = 1000
+    system-message-buffer-size = 20000
 
     # This setting defines the maximum idle time after an individual
     # acknowledgement for system messages is sent. System message delivery
diff --git a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/RemoteConfigSpec.scala b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/RemoteConfigSpec.scala
index e5e66652f4..c0a7538d0b 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/RemoteConfigSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/test/scala/akka/remote/RemoteConfigSpec.scala
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class RemoteConfigSpec extends AkkaSpec(
       LogBufferSizeExceeding should ===(50000)
       SysMsgAckTimeout should ===(0.3 seconds)
       SysResendTimeout should ===(2 seconds)
-      SysMsgBufferSize should ===(1000)
+      SysMsgBufferSize should ===(20000)
       InitialSysMsgDeliveryTimeout should ===(3 minutes)
       QuarantineDuration should ===(5 days)
       CommandAckTimeout.duration should ===(30 seconds)