diff --git a/control_plane/src/local_env.rs b/control_plane/src/local_env.rs
index 1b231151ce..387fc297f0 100644
--- a/control_plane/src/local_env.rs
+++ b/control_plane/src/local_env.rs
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ pub struct NeonStorageControllerConf {
     pub use_https_safekeeper_api: bool,
 
     pub use_local_compute_notifications: bool,
+
+    pub timeline_safekeeper_count: Option<i64>,
 }
 
 impl NeonStorageControllerConf {
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ impl Default for NeonStorageControllerConf {
             timelines_onto_safekeepers: true,
             use_https_safekeeper_api: false,
             use_local_compute_notifications: true,
+            timeline_safekeeper_count: None,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/control_plane/src/storage_controller.rs b/control_plane/src/storage_controller.rs
index 755d67a7ad..95f7533057 100644
--- a/control_plane/src/storage_controller.rs
+++ b/control_plane/src/storage_controller.rs
@@ -628,6 +628,10 @@ impl StorageController {
             args.push("--timelines-onto-safekeepers".to_string());
         }
 
+        if let Some(sk_cnt) = self.config.timeline_safekeeper_count {
+            args.push(format!("--timeline-safekeeper-count={sk_cnt}"));
+        }
+
         println!("Starting storage controller");
 
         background_process::start_process(
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/main.rs b/storage_controller/src/main.rs
index 2eea2f9d10..fc0ba9f28c 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/main.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/main.rs
@@ -207,6 +207,12 @@ struct Cli {
     /// the compute notification directly (instead of via control plane).
     #[arg(long, default_value = "false")]
     use_local_compute_notifications: bool,
+
+    /// Number of safekeepers to choose for a timeline when creating it.
+    /// Safekeepers will be choosen from different availability zones.
+    /// This option exists primarily for testing purposes.
+    #[arg(long, default_value = "3", value_parser = clap::value_parser!(i64).range(1..))]
+    timeline_safekeeper_count: i64,
 }
 
 enum StrictMode {
@@ -371,6 +377,11 @@ async fn async_main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         StrictMode::Strict if args.use_local_compute_notifications => {
             anyhow::bail!("`--use-local-compute-notifications` is only permitted in `--dev` mode");
         }
+        StrictMode::Strict if args.timeline_safekeeper_count < 3 => {
+            anyhow::bail!(
+                "Running with less than 3 safekeepers per timeline is only permitted in `--dev` mode"
+            );
+        }
         StrictMode::Strict => {
             tracing::info!("Starting in strict mode: configuration is OK.")
         }
@@ -433,6 +444,7 @@ async fn async_main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         ssl_ca_certs,
         timelines_onto_safekeepers: args.timelines_onto_safekeepers,
         use_local_compute_notifications: args.use_local_compute_notifications,
+        timeline_safekeeper_count: args.timeline_safekeeper_count,
     };
 
     // Validate that we can connect to the database
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/service.rs b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
index 14c81ccf59..6ec3963c48 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/service.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
@@ -466,6 +466,10 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub timelines_onto_safekeepers: bool,
 
     pub use_local_compute_notifications: bool,
+
+    /// Number of safekeepers to choose for a timeline when creating it.
+    /// Safekeepers will be choosen from different availability zones.
+    pub timeline_safekeeper_count: i64,
 }
 
 impl From<DatabaseError> for ApiError {
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/service/safekeeper_service.rs b/storage_controller/src/service/safekeeper_service.rs
index 61b9ec6b6d..193a1833a7 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/service/safekeeper_service.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/service/safekeeper_service.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::cmp::max;
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -608,7 +609,8 @@ impl Service {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Choose safekeepers for the new timeline: 3 in different azs.
+    /// Choose safekeepers for the new timeline in different azs.
+    /// 3 are choosen by default, but may be configured via config (for testing).
     pub(crate) async fn safekeepers_for_new_timeline(
         &self,
     ) -> Result<Vec<SafekeeperInfo>, ApiError> {
@@ -651,18 +653,14 @@ impl Service {
             )
         });
         // Number of safekeepers in different AZs we are looking for
-        let wanted_count = match all_safekeepers.len() {
-            0 => {
-                return Err(ApiError::InternalServerError(anyhow::anyhow!(
-                    "couldn't find any active safekeeper for new timeline",
-                )));
-            }
-            // Have laxer requirements on testig mode as we don't want to
-            // spin up three safekeepers for every single test
-            #[cfg(feature = "testing")]
-            1 | 2 => all_safekeepers.len(),
-            _ => 3,
-        };
+        let mut wanted_count = self.config.timeline_safekeeper_count as usize;
+        // TODO(diko): remove this when `timeline_safekeeper_count` option is in the release
+        // branch and is specified in tests/neon_local config.
+        if cfg!(feature = "testing") && all_safekeepers.len() < wanted_count {
+            // In testing mode, we can have less safekeepers than the config says
+            wanted_count = max(all_safekeepers.len(), 1);
+        }
+
         let mut sks = Vec::new();
         let mut azs = HashSet::new();
         for (_sk_util, sk_info, az_id) in all_safekeepers.iter() {