diff --git a/src/node.js b/src/node.js
index 9fc68e4986d..64a88893564 100644
--- a/src/node.js
+++ b/src/node.js
@@ -111,7 +111,8 @@
         // global.v8debug object about a connection, and runMain when
         // that occurs.  --isaacs
 
-        setTimeout(Module.runMain, 50);
+        var debugTimeout = +process.env.NODE_DEBUG_TIMEOUT || 50;
+        setTimeout(Module.runMain, debugTimeout);
 
       } else {
         // REMOVEME: nextTick should not be necessary. This hack to get
diff --git a/test/simple/test-debugger-client.js b/test/simple/test-debugger-client.js
index 5102a7b37de..70606bef3c7 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-debugger-client.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-debugger-client.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 
 
+process.env.NODE_DEBUGGER_TIMEOUT = 200;
 var common = require('../common');
 var assert = require('assert');
 var debug = require('_debugger');
diff --git a/test/simple/test-debugger-repl-utf8.js b/test/simple/test-debugger-repl-utf8.js
index 720410de561..a46075e32df 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-debugger-repl-utf8.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-debugger-repl-utf8.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 // USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
 
+process.env.NODE_DEBUGGER_TIMEOUT = 200;
 var common = require('../common');
 var assert = require('assert');
 var spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
diff --git a/test/simple/test-debugger-repl.js b/test/simple/test-debugger-repl.js
index fb06441e7ec..01e3ef7782a 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-debugger-repl.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-debugger-repl.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 // USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
 
+process.env.NODE_DEBUGGER_TIMEOUT = 200;
 var common = require('../common');
 var assert = require('assert');
 var spawn = require('child_process').spawn;