diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
index 42e436d5b2c..76ff5595512 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ int opal_btl_usnic_component_register(void)
     mca_btl_usnic_component.udp_port_base = (int) udp_port_base;
 
     CHECK(reg_int("retrans_timeout", "Number of microseconds before retransmitting a frame",
-                  100000, &mca_btl_usnic_component.retrans_timeout,
+                  5000, &mca_btl_usnic_component.retrans_timeout,
                   REGINT_GE_ONE, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
 
     CHECK(reg_int("max_resends_per_iteration", "Maximum number of frames to resend in a single iteration through usNIC component progress",
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ int opal_btl_usnic_component_register(void)
                   REGINT_GE_ONE, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
 
     CHECK(reg_int("ack_iteration_delay", "Minimum number of times through usNIC \"progress\" function before checking to see if standalone ACKs need to be sent",
-                  0, &mca_btl_usnic_component.ack_iteration_delay,
+                  4, &mca_btl_usnic_component.ack_iteration_delay,
                   REGINT_GE_ZERO, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
 
     CHECK(reg_int("priority_limit", "Max size of \"priority\" messages (0 = use pre-set defaults; depends on number and type of devices available)",