diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 1aa7093d95..2d7337ed7a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 v3.3.18 (XXXX-XX-XX)
 --------------------
 
+* increased default timeouts in replication
+
+  this decreases the chances of followers not getting in sync with leaders because
+  of replication operations timing out
+
 * fixed internal issue #1983: the Web UI was showing a deletion confirmation
   multiple times.
 
diff --git a/arangod/MMFiles/MMFilesRestReplicationHandler.cpp b/arangod/MMFiles/MMFilesRestReplicationHandler.cpp
index 20f30829d8..448b744b05 100644
--- a/arangod/MMFiles/MMFilesRestReplicationHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/MMFiles/MMFilesRestReplicationHandler.cpp
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ void MMFilesRestReplicationHandler::handleCommandCreateKeys() {
   
   // initialize a container with the keys
   auto keys =
-      std::make_unique<MMFilesCollectionKeys>(_vocbase, std::move(guard), id, 300.0);
+      std::make_unique<MMFilesCollectionKeys>(_vocbase, std::move(guard), id, 900.0);
 
   std::string const idString(std::to_string(keys->id()));
 
diff --git a/arangod/Replication/InitialSyncer.h b/arangod/Replication/InitialSyncer.h
index 40fe2cf059..32ebaa3396 100644
--- a/arangod/Replication/InitialSyncer.h
+++ b/arangod/Replication/InitialSyncer.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct IncrementalSyncStats {
 
 class InitialSyncer : public Syncer {
  public:
-  static constexpr double defaultBatchTimeout = 300.0;
+  static constexpr double defaultBatchTimeout = 7200.0; // two hours
 
  public:
   explicit InitialSyncer(ReplicationApplierConfiguration const&);
diff --git a/arangod/Replication/Syncer.cpp b/arangod/Replication/Syncer.cpp
index 208e6d5d38..27b0c39d51 100644
--- a/arangod/Replication/Syncer.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Replication/Syncer.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ Syncer::Syncer(ReplicationApplierConfiguration const& configuration)
       _connection(nullptr),
       _client(nullptr),
       _barrierId(0),
-      _barrierTtl(600),
+      _barrierTtl(900),
       _barrierUpdateTime(0),
       _isChildSyncer(false) {