diff --git a/orchagent/main.cpp b/orchagent/main.cpp
index 0a804eb38c..556bb70892 100644
--- a/orchagent/main.cpp
+++ b/orchagent/main.cpp
@@ -69,10 +69,11 @@ uint32_t gCfgSystemPorts = 0;
 string gMyHostName = "";
 string gMyAsicName = "";
 bool gTraditionalFlexCounter = false;
+uint32_t create_switch_timeout = 0;
 
 void usage()
 {
-    cout << "usage: orchagent [-h] [-r record_type] [-d record_location] [-f swss_rec_filename] [-j sairedis_rec_filename] [-b batch_size] [-m MAC] [-i INST_ID] [-s] [-z mode] [-k bulk_size] [-q zmq_server_address] [-c mode]" << endl;
+    cout << "usage: orchagent [-h] [-r record_type] [-d record_location] [-f swss_rec_filename] [-j sairedis_rec_filename] [-b batch_size] [-m MAC] [-i INST_ID] [-s] [-z mode] [-k bulk_size] [-q zmq_server_address] [-c mode] [-t create_switch_timeout]" << endl;
     cout << "    -h: display this message" << endl;
     cout << "    -r record_type: record orchagent logs with type (default 3)" << endl;
     cout << "                    Bit 0: sairedis.rec, Bit 1: swss.rec, Bit 2: responsepublisher.rec. For example:" << endl;
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ void usage()
     cout << "    -k max bulk size in bulk mode (default 1000)" << endl;
     cout << "    -q zmq_server_address: ZMQ server address (default disable ZMQ)" << endl;
     cout << "    -c counter mode (traditional|asic_db), default: asic_db" << endl;
+    cout << "    -t Override create switch timeout, in sec" << endl;
 }
 
 void sighup_handler(int signo)
@@ -346,7 +348,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     string responsepublisher_rec_filename = Recorder::RESPPUB_FNAME;
     int record_type = 3; // Only swss and sairedis recordings enabled by default.
 
-    while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "b:m:r:f:j:d:i:hsz:k:q:c:")) != -1)
+    while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "b:m:r:f:j:d:i:hsz:k:q:c:t:")) != -1)
     {
         switch (opt)
         {
@@ -437,6 +439,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                 enable_zmq = true;
             }
             break;
+        case 't':
+            create_switch_timeout = atoi(optarg);
+            break;
         default: /* '?' */
             exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
@@ -629,7 +634,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         delay_factor = 2;
     }
 
-    if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "fabric" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu" || asan_enabled)
+    if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "fabric" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu" || asan_enabled || create_switch_timeout)
     {
         /* We set this long timeout in order for orchagent to wait enough time for
          * response from syncd. It is needed since switch create takes more time
@@ -637,7 +642,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
          * and systems ports to initialize
          */
 
-        if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu")
+        if (create_switch_timeout)
+        {
+            /* Convert timeout to milliseconds from seconds */
+            attr.value.u64 = (create_switch_timeout * 1000);
+        }
+        else if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu")
         {
             attr.value.u64 = (5 * SAI_REDIS_DEFAULT_SYNC_OPERATION_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT);
         }
@@ -672,7 +682,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
     SWSS_LOG_NOTICE("Create a switch, id:%" PRIu64, gSwitchId);
 
-    if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "fabric" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu")
+    if (gMySwitchType == "voq" || gMySwitchType == "fabric" || gMySwitchType == "chassis-packet" || gMySwitchType == "dpu" || create_switch_timeout)
     {
         /* Set syncd response timeout back to the default value */
         attr.id = SAI_REDIS_SWITCH_ATTR_SYNC_OPERATION_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT;
diff --git a/tests/test_zmq.py b/tests/test_zmq.py
index 8a3dc49894..4894df0751 100644
--- a/tests/test_zmq.py
+++ b/tests/test_zmq.py
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ class TestZmqDash(object):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="class")
     def enable_orchagent_zmq(self, dvs):
         # change orchagent to use ZMQ
+        # change orchagent to use custom create_switch_timeout
         dvs.runcmd("cp /usr/bin/orchagent.sh /usr/bin/orchagent.sh_zmq_ut_backup")
-        dvs.runcmd("sed -i.bak 's/\/usr\/bin\/orchagent /\/usr\/bin\/orchagent -q tcp:\/\/127.0.0.1:8100 /g' /usr/bin/orchagent.sh")
+        dvs.runcmd("sed -i.bak 's/\/usr\/bin\/orchagent /\/usr\/bin\/orchagent -q tcp:\/\/127.0.0.1:8100 -t 60 /g' /usr/bin/orchagent.sh")
         dvs.stop_swss()
         dvs.start_swss()