diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant_config.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant_config.rs
index 4c5d5cc3f3..dc1b9353a6 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant_config.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant_config.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub mod defaults {
     // This parameter determines L1 layer file size.
     pub const DEFAULT_COMPACTION_TARGET_SIZE: u64 = 128 * 1024 * 1024;
 
-    pub const DEFAULT_COMPACTION_PERIOD: &str = "1 s";
+    pub const DEFAULT_COMPACTION_PERIOD: &str = "20 s";
     pub const DEFAULT_COMPACTION_THRESHOLD: usize = 10;
 
     pub const DEFAULT_GC_HORIZON: u64 = 64 * 1024 * 1024;
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
index c6cf416d12..46a945a58b 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 10000, compaction_target_size = 1048576}"""
                 for i in {
                     "checkpoint_distance": 10000,
                     "compaction_target_size": 1048576,
-                    "compaction_period": 1,
+                    "compaction_period": 20,
                     "compaction_threshold": 10,
                     "gc_horizon": 67108864,
                     "gc_period": 100,
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 10000, compaction_target_size = 1048576}"""
                 for i in {
                     "checkpoint_distance": 20000,
                     "compaction_target_size": 1048576,
-                    "compaction_period": 1,
+                    "compaction_period": 20,
                     "compaction_threshold": 10,
                     "gc_horizon": 67108864,
                     "gc_period": 30,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 10000, compaction_target_size = 1048576}"""
                 for i in {
                     "checkpoint_distance": 15000,
                     "compaction_target_size": 1048576,
-                    "compaction_period": 1,
+                    "compaction_period": 20,
                     "compaction_threshold": 10,
                     "gc_horizon": 67108864,
                     "gc_period": 80,
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 10000, compaction_target_size = 1048576}"""
                 for i in {
                     "checkpoint_distance": 15000,
                     "compaction_target_size": 1048576,
-                    "compaction_period": 1,
+                    "compaction_period": 20,
                     "compaction_threshold": 10,
                     "gc_horizon": 67108864,
                     "gc_period": 80,