diff --git a/config/default_config.json b/config/default_config.json
index 8fa65a6c22..4c1e6488ed 100644
--- a/config/default_config.json
+++ b/config/default_config.json
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@
     "privacy": "TemporaryValue",
     "value": true
   },
+  "consensus.consensus_delay": {
+    "description": "The delay in seconds before starting consensus to prevent 'InsufficientPeers' error.",
+    "privacy": "Public",
+    "value": 5
+  },
   "consensus.num_validators": {
     "description": "The number of validators in the consensus.",
     "privacy": "Public",
diff --git a/crates/papyrus_node/src/config/snapshots/papyrus_node__config__config_test__dump_default_config.snap b/crates/papyrus_node/src/config/snapshots/papyrus_node__config__config_test__dump_default_config.snap
index 7b76e5e02e..3e1dcf6752 100644
--- a/crates/papyrus_node/src/config/snapshots/papyrus_node__config__config_test__dump_default_config.snap
+++ b/crates/papyrus_node/src/config/snapshots/papyrus_node__config__config_test__dump_default_config.snap
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@ expression: dumped_default_config
     "value": true,
     "privacy": "TemporaryValue"
   },
+  "consensus.consensus_delay": {
+    "description": "The delay in seconds before starting consensus to prevent 'InsufficientPeers' error.",
+    "value": {
+      "$serde_json::private::Number": "5"
+    },
+    "privacy": "Public"
+  },
   "consensus.num_validators": {
     "description": "The number of validators in the consensus.",
     "value": {
diff --git a/crates/papyrus_node/src/main.rs b/crates/papyrus_node/src/main.rs
index 71d3e5f350..f7d54f59ed 100644
--- a/crates/papyrus_node/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/papyrus_node/src/main.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ fn run_consensus(
         context,
         start_height,
         validator_id,
+        config.consensus_delay,
         consensus_channels.broadcasted_messages_receiver,
     )))
 }
diff --git a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/config.rs b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/config.rs
index 1508dd91d7..718621bfb8 100644
--- a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/config.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ pub struct ConsensusConfig {
     /// The number of validators in the consensus.
     // Used for testing in an early milestones.
     pub num_validators: u64,
+    /// The delay in seconds before starting consensus to prevent InsufficientPeers error.
+    pub consensus_delay: u64,
 }
 
 impl SerializeConfig for ConsensusConfig {
@@ -52,6 +54,13 @@ impl SerializeConfig for ConsensusConfig {
                 "The number of validators in the consensus.",
                 ParamPrivacyInput::Public,
             ),
+            ser_param(
+                "consensus_delay",
+                &self.consensus_delay,
+                "The delay in seconds before starting consensus to prevent 'InsufficientPeers' \
+                 error.",
+                ParamPrivacyInput::Public,
+            ),
         ])
     }
 }
@@ -63,6 +72,7 @@ impl Default for ConsensusConfig {
             topic: "consensus".to_string(),
             start_height: BlockNumber::default(),
             num_validators: 4,
+            consensus_delay: 5,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/lib.rs b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/lib.rs
index 2d076720ce..64fdda6fff 100644
--- a/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/sequencing/papyrus_consensus/src/lib.rs
@@ -106,12 +106,15 @@ pub async fn run_consensus<BlockT: ConsensusBlock, ContextT: ConsensusContext<Bl
     context: ContextT,
     start_height: BlockNumber,
     validator_id: ValidatorId,
+    consensus_delay: u64,
     mut network_receiver: BroadcastSubscriberReceiver<ConsensusMessage>,
 ) -> Result<(), ConsensusError>
 where
     ProposalWrapper:
         Into<(ProposalInit, mpsc::Receiver<BlockT::ProposalChunk>, oneshot::Receiver<BlockHash>)>,
 {
+    // Add a short delay to allow peers to connect and avoid "InsufficientPeers" error
+    tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(consensus_delay)).await;
     let mut current_height = start_height;
     let mut future_messages = Vec::new();
     loop {