diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/EventPumper.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/EventPumper.java
index ced73d512..0512e7915 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/EventPumper.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/EventPumper.java
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ class EventPumper implements Runnable {
      * the time to iterate across them to check a few flags shouldn't be a problem.
      */
     private static final long FAILSAFE_ITERATION_FREQ = 2*1000l;
-    /** tunnel test is every 30-60s, so this should be longer than, say, 3*45s to allow for drops */
-    private static final long MIN_EXPIRE_IDLE_TIME = 3*60*1000l;
+    /** tunnel test now disabled, but this should be long enough to allow an active tunnel to get started */
+    private static final long MIN_EXPIRE_IDLE_TIME = 135*1000l;
     private static final long MAX_EXPIRE_IDLE_TIME = 15*60*1000l;
 
     public EventPumper(RouterContext ctx, NTCPTransport transport) {