diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
index e60c165827f3..e6f5e803d42e 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ type Replica struct {
 	// The writes to this key happen in Replica.setStartKeyLocked.
 	startKey roachpb.RKey
 
+	// creationTime is the time that the Replica struct was initially constructed.
+	creationTime time.Time
+
 	store     *Store
 	abortSpan *abortspan.AbortSpan // Avoids anomalous reads after abort
 
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_init.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_init.go
index 6310ee0cd2fc..fbb1b1dc0c69 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_init.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_init.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ func newUnloadedReplica(
 	r := &Replica{
 		AmbientContext: store.cfg.AmbientCtx,
 		RangeID:        desc.RangeID,
+		creationTime:   timeutil.Now(),
 		store:          store,
 		abortSpan:      abortspan.New(desc.RangeID),
 		concMgr: concurrency.NewManager(concurrency.Config{
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper.go
index 707c44aec9d2..78882c3c827a 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper.go
@@ -13,23 +13,26 @@ package kvserver
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/roachpb"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/log"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/timeutil"
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/v3/raftpb"
 )
 
-const maxDelaySplitTriggerTicks = 100
+const maxDelaySplitTriggerDur = 20 * time.Second
 
 type replicaMsgAppDropper Replica
 
-func (rd *replicaMsgAppDropper) Args() (initialized bool, ticks int) {
+func (rd *replicaMsgAppDropper) Args() (initialized bool, age time.Duration) {
 	r := (*Replica)(rd)
 	r.mu.RLock()
 	initialized = r.isInitializedRLocked()
-	ticks = r.mu.ticks
+	creationTime := r.creationTime
 	r.mu.RUnlock()
-	return initialized, ticks
+	age = timeutil.Since(creationTime)
+	return initialized, age
 }
 
 func (rd *replicaMsgAppDropper) ShouldDrop(
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ func (rd *replicaMsgAppDropper) ShouldDrop(
 }
 
 type msgAppDropper interface {
-	Args() (initialized bool, ticks int)
+	Args() (initialized bool, age time.Duration)
 	ShouldDrop(ctx context.Context, key roachpb.RKey) (fmt.Stringer, bool)
 }
 
@@ -71,7 +74,7 @@ func maybeDropMsgApp(
 	// message via msg.Context. Check if this replica might be waiting for a
 	// split trigger. The first condition for that is not knowing the key
 	// bounds, i.e. not being initialized.
-	initialized, ticks := r.Args()
+	initialized, age := r.Args()
 
 	if initialized {
 		return false
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@ func maybeDropMsgApp(
 	if verbose {
 		log.Infof(ctx, "start key is contained in replica %v", lhsRepl)
 	}
-	if ticks > maxDelaySplitTriggerTicks {
+	if age > maxDelaySplitTriggerDur {
 		// This is an escape hatch in case there are other scenarios (missed in
 		// the above analysis) in which a split trigger just isn't coming. If
 		// there are, the idea is that we notice this log message and improve
@@ -143,8 +146,8 @@ func maybeDropMsgApp(
 		log.Warningf(
 			ctx,
 			"would have dropped incoming MsgApp to wait for split trigger, "+
-				"but allowing due to %d (>%d) ticks",
-			ticks, maxDelaySplitTriggerTicks)
+				"but allowing because uninitialized replica was created %s (>%s) ago",
+			age, maxDelaySplitTriggerDur)
 		return false
 	}
 	if verbose {
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper_test.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper_test.go
index ea5940a773b0..46fcf5411e1f 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/split_trigger_helper_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/roachpb"
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/testutils"
@@ -26,14 +27,14 @@ import (
 
 type testMsgAppDropper struct {
 	initialized bool
-	ticks       int
+	age         time.Duration
 	lhs         bool
 
 	startKey string // set by ShouldDrop
 }
 
-func (td *testMsgAppDropper) Args() (initialized bool, ticks int) {
-	return td.initialized, td.ticks
+func (td *testMsgAppDropper) Args() (initialized bool, age time.Duration) {
+	return td.initialized, td.age
 }
 
 func (td *testMsgAppDropper) ShouldDrop(
@@ -58,9 +59,9 @@ func TestMaybeDropMsgApp(t *testing.T) {
 		// Drop message to wait for trigger.
 		{initialized: false, lhs: true}: true,
 		// Drop message to wait for trigger.
-		{initialized: false, lhs: true, ticks: maxDelaySplitTriggerTicks}: true,
+		{initialized: false, lhs: true, age: maxDelaySplitTriggerDur}: true,
 		// Escape hatch fires.
-		{initialized: false, lhs: true, ticks: maxDelaySplitTriggerTicks + 1}: false,
+		{initialized: false, lhs: true, age: maxDelaySplitTriggerDur + 1}: false,
 	}
 
 	msgHeartbeat := &raftpb.Message{