diff --git a/docs/configuration/overview/overview.rst b/docs/configuration/overview/overview.rst
index 57fd3fa9d3bd..523a92af2736 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/overview/overview.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration/overview/overview.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ miscellaneous configuration.
     "flags_path": "...",
     "statsd_local_udp_port": "...",
     "statsd_tcp_cluster_name": "...",
+    "stats_flush_interval_ms": "...",
     "tracing": "{...}",
     "rate_limit_service": "{...}",
     "runtime": "{...}",
@@ -48,6 +49,11 @@ statsd_tcp_cluster_name
   listener. If specified, Envoy will connect to this cluster to flush :ref:`statistics
   <arch_overview_statistics>`.
 
+stats_flush_interval_ms
+  *(optional, integer)* The time in milliseconds between flushes to configured stats sinks. For
+  performance reasons Envoy latches counters and only flushes counters and gauges at a periodic
+  interval. If not specified the default is 5000ms (5 seconds).
+
 :ref:`tracing <config_tracing>`
   *(optional, object)* Configuration for an external :ref:`tracing <arch_overview_tracing>`
   provider. If not specified, no tracing will be performed.
diff --git a/include/envoy/server/configuration.h b/include/envoy/server/configuration.h
index cbc1d95606e8..654969fc618e 100644
--- a/include/envoy/server/configuration.h
+++ b/include/envoy/server/configuration.h
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ class Main {
    * @return Optional<uint32_t> the optional local UDP statsd port to write to.
    */
   virtual Optional<uint32_t> statsdUdpPort() PURE;
+
+  /**
+   * @return the time interval between flushing to configured stat sinks. The server latches
+   *         counters.
+   */
+  virtual std::chrono::milliseconds statsFlushInterval() PURE;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/source/server/configuration_impl.cc b/source/server/configuration_impl.cc
index 39a7520be897..1b2efd0828cd 100644
--- a/source/server/configuration_impl.cc
+++ b/source/server/configuration_impl.cc
@@ -25,15 +25,13 @@ void FilterChainUtility::buildFilterChain(Network::FilterManager& filter_manager
 
 MainImpl::MainImpl(Server::Instance& server) : server_(server) {}
 
-void MainImpl::initialize(const std::string& file_path) {
-  Json::ObjectPtr loader = Json::Factory::LoadFromFile(file_path);
-
+void MainImpl::initialize(const Json::Object& json) {
   cluster_manager_.reset(new Upstream::ProdClusterManagerImpl(
-      *loader->getObject("cluster_manager"), server_.stats(), server_.threadLocal(),
+      *json.getObject("cluster_manager"), server_.stats(), server_.threadLocal(),
       server_.dnsResolver(), server_.sslContextManager(), server_.runtime(), server_.random(),
       server_.options().serviceZone(), server_.getLocalAddress()));
 
-  std::vector<Json::ObjectPtr> listeners = loader->getObjectArray("listeners");
+  std::vector<Json::ObjectPtr> listeners = json.getObjectArray("listeners");
   log().info("loading {} listener(s)", listeners.size());
   for (size_t i = 0; i < listeners.size(); i++) {
     log().info("listener #{}:", i);
@@ -41,22 +39,25 @@ void MainImpl::initialize(const std::string& file_path) {
         Server::Configuration::ListenerPtr{new ListenerConfig(*this, *listeners[i])});
   }
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("statsd_local_udp_port")) {
-    statsd_udp_port_.value(loader->getInteger("statsd_local_udp_port"));
+  if (json.hasObject("statsd_local_udp_port")) {
+    statsd_udp_port_.value(json.getInteger("statsd_local_udp_port"));
   }
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("statsd_tcp_cluster_name")) {
-    statsd_tcp_cluster_name_.value(loader->getString("statsd_tcp_cluster_name"));
+  if (json.hasObject("statsd_tcp_cluster_name")) {
+    statsd_tcp_cluster_name_.value(json.getString("statsd_tcp_cluster_name"));
   }
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("tracing")) {
-    initializeTracers(*loader->getObject("tracing"));
+  stats_flush_interval_ =
+      std::chrono::milliseconds(json.getInteger("stats_flush_interval_ms", 5000));
+
+  if (json.hasObject("tracing")) {
+    initializeTracers(*json.getObject("tracing"));
   } else {
     http_tracer_.reset(new Tracing::HttpNullTracer());
   }
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("rate_limit_service")) {
-    Json::ObjectPtr rate_limit_service_config = loader->getObject("rate_limit_service");
+  if (json.hasObject("rate_limit_service")) {
+    Json::ObjectPtr rate_limit_service_config = json.getObject("rate_limit_service");
     std::string type = rate_limit_service_config->getString("type");
     if (type == "grpc_service") {
       ratelimit_client_factory_.reset(new RateLimit::GrpcFactoryImpl(
@@ -69,14 +70,14 @@ void MainImpl::initialize(const std::string& file_path) {
   }
 }
 
-void MainImpl::initializeTracers(const Json::Object& tracing_configuration_) {
+void MainImpl::initializeTracers(const Json::Object& tracing_configuration) {
   log().info("loading tracing configuration");
 
   // Initialize http sinks
-  if (tracing_configuration_.hasObject("http")) {
+  if (tracing_configuration.hasObject("http")) {
     http_tracer_.reset(new Tracing::HttpTracerImpl(server_.runtime(), server_.stats()));
 
-    Json::ObjectPtr http_tracer_config = tracing_configuration_.getObject("http");
+    Json::ObjectPtr http_tracer_config = tracing_configuration.getObject("http");
 
     if (http_tracer_config->hasObject("sinks")) {
       std::vector<Json::ObjectPtr> sinks = http_tracer_config->getObjectArray("sinks");
@@ -170,22 +171,21 @@ void MainImpl::ListenerConfig::createFilterChain(Network::Connection& connection
   FilterChainUtility::buildFilterChain(connection, filter_factories_);
 }
 
-InitialImpl::InitialImpl(const std::string& file_path) {
-  Json::ObjectPtr loader = Json::Factory::LoadFromFile(file_path);
-  Json::ObjectPtr admin = loader->getObject("admin");
+InitialImpl::InitialImpl(const Json::Object& json) {
+  Json::ObjectPtr admin = json.getObject("admin");
   admin_.access_log_path_ = admin->getString("access_log_path");
   admin_.port_ = admin->getInteger("port");
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("flags_path")) {
-    flags_path_.value(loader->getString("flags_path"));
+  if (json.hasObject("flags_path")) {
+    flags_path_.value(json.getString("flags_path"));
   }
 
-  if (loader->hasObject("runtime")) {
+  if (json.hasObject("runtime")) {
     runtime_.reset(new RuntimeImpl());
-    runtime_->symlink_root_ = loader->getObject("runtime")->getString("symlink_root");
-    runtime_->subdirectory_ = loader->getObject("runtime")->getString("subdirectory");
+    runtime_->symlink_root_ = json.getObject("runtime")->getString("symlink_root");
+    runtime_->subdirectory_ = json.getObject("runtime")->getString("subdirectory");
     runtime_->override_subdirectory_ =
-        loader->getObject("runtime")->getString("override_subdirectory", "");
+        json.getObject("runtime")->getString("override_subdirectory", "");
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/source/server/configuration_impl.h b/source/server/configuration_impl.h
index 13aba2e38bea..84747665a347 100644
--- a/source/server/configuration_impl.h
+++ b/source/server/configuration_impl.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class MainImpl : Logger::Loggable<Logger::Id::config>, public Main {
    * will call through the server to get the cluster manager so the server variable must be
    * initialized.
    */
-  void initialize(const std::string& file_path);
+  void initialize(const Json::Object& json);
 
   // Server::Configuration::Main
   Upstream::ClusterManager& clusterManager() override { return *cluster_manager_; }
@@ -72,12 +72,13 @@ class MainImpl : Logger::Loggable<Logger::Id::config>, public Main {
   RateLimit::ClientFactory& rateLimitClientFactory() override { return *ratelimit_client_factory_; }
   Optional<std::string> statsdTcpClusterName() override { return statsd_tcp_cluster_name_; }
   Optional<uint32_t> statsdUdpPort() override { return statsd_udp_port_; }
+  std::chrono::milliseconds statsFlushInterval() override { return stats_flush_interval_; }
 
 private:
   /**
    * Initialize tracers and corresponding sinks.
    */
-  void initializeTracers(const Json::Object& tracing_configuration_);
+  void initializeTracers(const Json::Object& tracing_configuration);
 
   /**
    * Maps JSON config to runtime config for a listener with network filter chain.
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ class MainImpl : Logger::Loggable<Logger::Id::config>, public Main {
   Optional<std::string> statsd_tcp_cluster_name_;
   Optional<uint32_t> statsd_udp_port_;
   RateLimit::ClientFactoryPtr ratelimit_client_factory_;
+  std::chrono::milliseconds stats_flush_interval_;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ template <class T> class RegisterNetworkFilterConfigFactory {
  */
 class InitialImpl : public Initial {
 public:
-  InitialImpl(const std::string& file_path);
+  InitialImpl(const Json::Object& json);
 
   // Server::Configuration::Initial
   Admin& admin() { return admin_; }
diff --git a/source/server/server.cc b/source/server/server.cc
index 67735d32cd33..47c057ad916f 100644
--- a/source/server/server.cc
+++ b/source/server/server.cc
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void InstanceImpl::flushStats() {
     }
   }
 
-  stat_flush_timer_->enableTimer(std::chrono::milliseconds(5000));
+  stat_flush_timer_->enableTimer(config_->statsFlushInterval());
 }
 
 int InstanceImpl::getListenSocketFd(uint32_t port) {
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ void InstanceImpl::initialize(Options& options, TestHooks& hooks,
              restarter_.version());
 
   // Handle configuration that needs to take place prior to the main configuration load.
-  Configuration::InitialImpl initial_config(options.configPath());
+  Json::ObjectPtr config_json = Json::Factory::LoadFromFile(options.configPath());
+  Configuration::InitialImpl initial_config(*config_json);
   log().info("admin port: {}", initial_config.admin().port());
 
   HotRestart::ShutdownParentAdminInfo info;
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ void InstanceImpl::initialize(Options& options, TestHooks& hooks,
   // per above. See MainImpl::initialize() for why we do this pointer dance.
   Configuration::MainImpl* main_config = new Configuration::MainImpl(*this);
   config_.reset(main_config);
-  main_config->initialize(options.configPath());
+  main_config->initialize(*config_json);
 
   for (const Configuration::ListenerPtr& listener : config_->listeners()) {
     // For each listener config we share a single TcpListenSocket among all threaded listeners.
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ void InstanceImpl::initialize(Options& options, TestHooks& hooks,
   // Some of the stat sinks may need dispatcher support so don't flush until the main loop starts.
   // Just setup the timer.
   stat_flush_timer_ = handler_.dispatcher().createTimer([this]() -> void { flushStats(); });
-  stat_flush_timer_->enableTimer(std::chrono::milliseconds(5000));
+  stat_flush_timer_->enableTimer(config_->statsFlushInterval());
 }
 
 Runtime::LoaderPtr InstanceUtil::createRuntime(Instance& server,
diff --git a/test/example_configs_test.cc b/test/example_configs_test.cc
index 10b0ddd6658d..734dea719a68 100644
--- a/test/example_configs_test.cc
+++ b/test/example_configs_test.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ class ConfigTest {
     ON_CALL(server_.api_, fileReadToEnd("lightstep_access_token"))
         .WillByDefault(Return("access_token"));
 
-    Server::Configuration::InitialImpl initial_config(file_path);
+    Json::ObjectPtr config_json = Json::Factory::LoadFromFile(file_path);
+    Server::Configuration::InitialImpl initial_config(*config_json);
     Server::Configuration::MainImpl main_config(server_);
 
     ON_CALL(server_, clusterManager())
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ class ConfigTest {
             Invoke([&]() -> Upstream::ClusterManager& { return main_config.clusterManager(); }));
 
     try {
-      main_config.initialize(file_path);
+      main_config.initialize(*config_json);
     } catch (const EnvoyException& ex) {
       throw EnvoyException(fmt::format("'{}' config failed. Error: {}", file_path, ex.what()));
     }
diff --git a/test/mocks/server/mocks.cc b/test/mocks/server/mocks.cc
index 89755cef8c36..7e4292c6d85c 100644
--- a/test/mocks/server/mocks.cc
+++ b/test/mocks/server/mocks.cc
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ using testing::SaveArg;
 
 namespace Server {
 
-MockOptions::MockOptions() {}
+MockOptions::MockOptions() {
+  ON_CALL(*this, serviceZone()).WillByDefault(ReturnRef(service_zone_));
+}
+
 MockOptions::~MockOptions() {}
 
 MockAdmin::MockAdmin() {}
diff --git a/test/mocks/server/mocks.h b/test/mocks/server/mocks.h
index 641bb512f064..f1fda18b16b7 100644
--- a/test/mocks/server/mocks.h
+++ b/test/mocks/server/mocks.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ class MockOptions : public Options {
   MOCK_METHOD0(serviceNodeName, const std::string&());
   MOCK_METHOD0(serviceZone, const std::string&());
   MOCK_METHOD0(fileFlushIntervalMsec, std::chrono::milliseconds());
+
+  std::string service_zone_;
 };
 
 class MockAdmin : public Admin {
diff --git a/test/server/configuration_impl_test.cc b/test/server/configuration_impl_test.cc
index c0984009ac4e..7aeeff54d644 100644
--- a/test/server/configuration_impl_test.cc
+++ b/test/server/configuration_impl_test.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "test/mocks/common.h"
 #include "test/mocks/network/mocks.h"
+#include "test/mocks/server/mocks.h"
 
 using testing::InSequence;
 using testing::Return;
@@ -22,5 +23,47 @@ TEST(FilterChainUtility, buildFilterChain) {
   FilterChainUtility::buildFilterChain(connection, factories);
 }
 
+TEST(ConfigurationImplTest, DefaultStatsFlushInterval) {
+  std::string json = R"EOF(
+{
+  "listeners": [],
+
+  "cluster_manager": {
+    "clusters": []
+  }
+}
+  )EOF";
+
+  Json::ObjectPtr loader = Json::Factory::LoadFromString(json);
+
+  NiceMock<Server::MockInstance> server;
+  MainImpl config(server);
+  config.initialize(*loader);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(std::chrono::milliseconds(5000), config.statsFlushInterval());
+}
+
+TEST(ConfigurationImplTest, CustomStatsFlushInterval) {
+  std::string json = R"EOF(
+{
+  "listeners": [],
+
+  "stats_flush_interval_ms": 500,
+
+  "cluster_manager": {
+    "clusters": []
+  }
+}
+  )EOF";
+
+  Json::ObjectPtr loader = Json::Factory::LoadFromString(json);
+
+  NiceMock<Server::MockInstance> server;
+  MainImpl config(server);
+  config.initialize(*loader);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(std::chrono::milliseconds(500), config.statsFlushInterval());
+}
+
 } // Configuration
 } // Server