diff --git a/.changelog/5703.bugfix.md b/.changelog/5703.bugfix.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a58980268dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/5703.bugfix.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+keymanager: Increase MAX_FRESH_HEIGHT_AGE
+
+This avoids issues where key managers get out of sync during operation
+and start rejecting otherwise valid requests. It should still be safe
+especially since all new runtimes now perform freshness checks.
diff --git a/keymanager/src/runtime/secrets.rs b/keymanager/src/runtime/secrets.rs
index 0b1dad6d5ea..10b2b326829 100644
--- a/keymanager/src/runtime/secrets.rs
+++ b/keymanager/src/runtime/secrets.rs
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ const MAX_EPHEMERAL_KEY_AGE: EpochTime = 10;
 /// Maximum age of a fresh height in the number of blocks.
 ///
 /// A height is considered fresh if it is not more than specified amount
-/// of blocks lower than the height of the latest trust root.
-const MAX_FRESH_HEIGHT_AGE: u64 = 50;
+/// of blocks lower than the height of the latest verified height.
+const MAX_FRESH_HEIGHT_AGE: u64 = 600; // ~1 hr @ 6s/block
 
 /// Master and ephemeral secrets RPC handler.
 pub struct Secrets {