diff --git a/pkg/server/search_server_distributor_test.go b/pkg/server/search_server_distributor_test.go
index 520443bc15f..83c32fced37 100644
--- a/pkg/server/search_server_distributor_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/search_server_distributor_test.go
@@ -314,6 +314,11 @@ func createStorageServerApi(t *testing.T, instanceId int, dbType, dbConnStr stri
 	cfg.IndexPath = t.TempDir() + cfg.InstanceID
 	cfg.IndexFileThreshold = testIndexFileThreshold
 	cfg.Target = []string{modules.StorageServer}
+	// make sure the resource server has enough time to join the ring
+	// before the tests start sending traffic
+	// otherwise the tests will be flaky,
+	// also, tests are going to timeout after 300 seconds anyway
+	cfg.ResourceServerJoinRingTimeout = 300 * time.Second
 
 	return initModuleServerForTest(t, cfg, Options{}, api.ServerOptions{})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index ed661529221..5cad5c1ba9b 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -601,6 +601,7 @@ type Cfg struct {
 	SprinklesApiServerPageLimit                int
 	CACertPath                                 string
 	HttpsSkipVerify                            bool
+	ResourceServerJoinRingTimeout              time.Duration
 
 	// Secrets Management
 	SecretsManagement SecretsManagerSettings
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting_unified_storage.go b/pkg/setting/setting_unified_storage.go
index 759d076e51c..a3702dc0a3b 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting_unified_storage.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting_unified_storage.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func (cfg *Cfg) setUnifiedStorageConfig() {
 	cfg.SprinklesApiServerPageLimit = section.Key("sprinkles_api_server_page_limit").MustInt(10000)
 	cfg.CACertPath = section.Key("ca_cert_path").String()
 	cfg.HttpsSkipVerify = section.Key("https_skip_verify").MustBool(false)
+	cfg.ResourceServerJoinRingTimeout = section.Key("resource_server_join_ring_timeout").MustDuration(10 * time.Second)
 
 	cfg.MaxFileIndexAge = section.Key("max_file_index_age").MustDuration(0)
 	cfg.MinFileIndexBuildVersion = section.Key("min_file_index_build_version").MustString("")
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/service.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/service.go
index 1e0c228cd1c..00e2ae73750 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/service.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/service.go
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ func (s *service) starting(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	if s.cfg.EnableSharding {
 		s.log.Info("waiting until resource server is JOINING in the ring")
-		lfcCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second*10)
+		lfcCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), s.cfg.ResourceServerJoinRingTimeout)
 		defer cancel()
 		if err := ring.WaitInstanceState(lfcCtx, s.searchRing, s.ringLifecycler.GetInstanceID(), ring.JOINING); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error switching to JOINING in the ring: %s", err)