diff --git a/oak-benchmarks/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/benchmark/AbstractTest.java b/oak-benchmarks/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/benchmark/AbstractTest.java
index 0da405a523..13ea9843e2 100644
--- a/oak-benchmarks/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/benchmark/AbstractTest.java
+++ b/oak-benchmarks/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/benchmark/AbstractTest.java
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractTest<T> extends Benchmark implements CSVResultGene
 
     private static final long RUNTIME = TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(Long.getLong("runtime", 60));
 
+    private static final long DELAY = TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(Long.getLong("delay", 0));
+
     private static final boolean SKIP_WARMPUP = Boolean.getBoolean("skipWarmup");
     
     private static final boolean PROFILE = Boolean.getBoolean("profile");
@@ -200,6 +202,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractTest<T> extends Benchmark implements CSVResultGene
         for (RepositoryFixture fixture : fixtures) {
             currentFixture = fixture;
             try {
+
+                if (DELAY > 0) {
+                    Thread.sleep(DELAY);
+                }
                 Repository[] cluster = createRepository(fixture);
                 try {
                     runTest(fixture, cluster[0], concurrencyLevels);