diff --git a/services/syncbase/syncbaselib/serve.go b/services/syncbase/syncbaselib/serve.go
index c67ec86..81b4842 100644
--- a/services/syncbase/syncbaselib/serve.go
+++ b/services/syncbase/syncbaselib/serve.go
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@
 
 	"v.io/v23"
 	"v.io/v23/context"
+	"v.io/v23/options"
 	"v.io/v23/rpc"
 	"v.io/x/ref/lib/security/securityflag"
 	"v.io/x/ref/services/syncbase/server"
+	"v.io/x/ref/services/syncbase/vsync"
 )
 
 // Serve starts the Syncbase server. Returns rpc.Server and rpc.Dispatcher for
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@
 
 	// Publish the service in the mount table.
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
-	ctx, s, err := v23.WithNewDispatchingServer(ctx, opts.Name, d)
+	ctx, s, err := v23.WithNewDispatchingServer(ctx, opts.Name, d, options.ChannelTimeout(vsync.NeighborConnectionTimeout))
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Fatal("v23.WithNewDispatchingServer() failed: ", err)
 	}
diff --git a/services/syncbase/vsync/parameters.go b/services/syncbase/vsync/parameters.go
index 4b20d4d..4b18430 100644
--- a/services/syncbase/vsync/parameters.go
+++ b/services/syncbase/vsync/parameters.go
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@
 	// connections to peers.
 	channelTimeout = 2 * time.Second
 
+	// NeighborConnectionTimeout is the time duration we wait for a connection to be
+	// established with a peer discovered from the neighborhood.
+	//
 	// TODO(suharshs): Make the timeouts below more dynamic based on network. (i.e.
 	// bt vs tcp). Currently bt connection establishment takes ~3 seconds, so
 	// neighborhood connections get more time than cloud connections.
-	// neighborConnectionTimeout is the time duration we wait for a connection to be
-	// established with a peer discovered from the neighborhood.
-	neighborConnectionTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+	NeighborConnectionTimeout = 5 * time.Second
 
 	// cloudConnectionTimeout is the duration we wait for a connection to be
 	// established with a cloud peer.
diff --git a/services/syncbase/vsync/peer_manager.go b/services/syncbase/vsync/peer_manager.go
index b8c695e..401ea06 100644
--- a/services/syncbase/vsync/peer_manager.go
+++ b/services/syncbase/vsync/peer_manager.go
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@
 
 	vlog.VI(4).Infof("sync: pingPeers: sending names %v", names)
 
-	res, err := ping.PingInParallel(ctx, names, neighborConnectionTimeout, channelTimeout)
+	res, err := ping.PingInParallel(ctx, names, NeighborConnectionTimeout, channelTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/services/syncbase/vsync/syncgroup.go b/services/syncbase/vsync/syncgroup.go
index 32f07c7..50256f3 100644
--- a/services/syncbase/vsync/syncgroup.go
+++ b/services/syncbase/vsync/syncgroup.go
@@ -1275,7 +1275,7 @@
 	neighbors := ss.filterSyncgroupAdmins(dbId, sgId)
 	for _, svc := range neighbors {
 		for _, addr := range svc.Addresses {
-			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctxIn, neighborConnectionTimeout)
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctxIn, NeighborConnectionTimeout)
 			// TODO(fredq): check that the service at addr has the expectedSyncbaseBlessings.
 			c := interfaces.SyncClient(naming.Join(addr, common.SyncbaseSuffix))
 			sg, vers, gv, err := c.JoinSyncgroupAtAdmin(ctx, dbId, sgId, localSyncbaseName, myInfo)