diff --git a/src/build_queue.rs b/src/build_queue.rs
index a9d2c7020..48ea3e4f4 100644
--- a/src/build_queue.rs
+++ b/src/build_queue.rs
@@ -176,13 +176,41 @@ impl BuildQueue {
         // available one.
         let to_process = match transaction
             .query_opt(
-                "SELECT id, name, version, priority, registry
-                 FROM queue
-                 WHERE attempt < $1
-                 ORDER BY priority ASC, attempt ASC, id ASC
+                "SELECT
+                    id,
+                    name,
+                    version,
+                    priority,
+                    registry
+                 FROM
+                    queue
+                 WHERE
+                    attempt < $1 AND
+                    (
+                        SELECT
+                            CASE
+                                WHEN MAX(b.build_time) IS NULL then TRUE
+                                WHEN MAX(b.build_time) < (NOW() - make_interval(secs => $2)) then TRUE
+                                ELSE FALSE
+                            END
+                        FROM
+                            crates AS c
+                            LEFT OUTER JOIN releases AS r ON c.id = r.crate_id
+                            LEFT OUTER JOIN builds AS b on b.rid = r.id
+                        WHERE
+                            c.name = queue.name AND
+                            r.version = queue.version
+                    ) = TRUE
+                 ORDER BY
+                    priority ASC,
+                    attempt ASC,
+                    id ASC
                  LIMIT 1
-                 FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED",
-                &[&self.max_attempts],
+                 FOR UPDATE OF queue SKIP LOCKED",
+                &[
+                    &self.max_attempts,
+                    &self.config.delay_between_build_attempts.as_secs_f64(),
+                ],
             )?
             .map(|row| QueuedCrate {
                 id: row.get("id"),
@@ -484,6 +512,8 @@ impl BuildQueue {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use crate::test::FakeBuild;
+    use chrono::Utc;
 
     #[test]
     fn test_add_duplicate_doesnt_fail_last_priority_wins() {
@@ -703,6 +733,63 @@ mod tests {
         });
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_time_between_builds_attempts_ok_with_delay() {
+        crate::test::wrapper(|env| {
+            env.override_config(|config| {
+                config.delay_between_build_attempts = std::time::Duration::from_secs(120);
+            });
+
+            let queue = env.build_queue();
+
+            queue.add_crate("foo", "0.1.0", 0, None)?;
+
+            env.fake_release()
+                .name("foo")
+                .version("0.1.0")
+                .builds(vec![
+                    FakeBuild::default().build_time(Utc::now() - chrono::Duration::seconds(600))
+                ])
+                .create()?;
+            assert_eq!(queue.prioritized_count()?, 1);
+            queue.process_next_crate(|krate| {
+                assert_eq!("foo", krate.name);
+                Ok(())
+            })?;
+            assert_eq!(queue.prioritized_count()?, 0);
+
+            Ok(())
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_time_between_builds_attempts_too_short_for_delay() {
+        crate::test::wrapper(|env| {
+            env.override_config(|config| {
+                config.delay_between_build_attempts = std::time::Duration::from_secs(120);
+            });
+
+            let queue = env.build_queue();
+
+            queue.add_crate("foo", "0.1.0", 0, None)?;
+
+            env.fake_release()
+                .name("foo")
+                .version("0.1.0")
+                .builds(vec![
+                    FakeBuild::default().build_time(Utc::now() - chrono::Duration::seconds(60))
+                ])
+                .create()?;
+            assert_eq!(queue.prioritized_count()?, 1);
+            queue.process_next_crate(|_| {
+                unreachable!();
+            })?;
+            assert_eq!(queue.prioritized_count()?, 1);
+
+            Ok(())
+        });
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_prioritized_count() {
         crate::test::wrapper(|env| {
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index e44dae942..f96783e35 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub(crate) build_default_memory_limit: Option<usize>,
     pub(crate) include_default_targets: bool,
     pub(crate) disable_memory_limit: bool,
+    pub(crate) delay_between_build_attempts: Duration,
 }
 
 impl Config {
@@ -204,6 +205,10 @@ impl Config {
             build_default_memory_limit: maybe_env("DOCSRS_BUILD_DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT")?,
             include_default_targets: env("DOCSRS_INCLUDE_DEFAULT_TARGETS", true)?,
             disable_memory_limit: env("DOCSRS_DISABLE_MEMORY_LIMIT", false)?,
+            delay_between_build_attempts: Duration::from_secs(env(
+                "DOCSRS_DELAY_BETWEEN_BUILD_ATTEMPTS",
+                120,
+            )?),
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/fakes.rs b/src/test/fakes.rs
index 299a2e8da..ef4f8dedd 100644
--- a/src/test/fakes.rs
+++ b/src/test/fakes.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ pub(crate) struct FakeRelease<'a> {
 pub(crate) struct FakeBuild {
     s3_build_log: Option<String>,
     db_build_log: Option<String>,
+    build_time: Option<DateTime<Utc>>,
     result: BuildResult,
 }
 
@@ -512,6 +513,13 @@ impl FakeBuild {
         }
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn build_time(self, build_time: DateTime<Utc>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            build_time: Some(build_time),
+            ..self
+        }
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn db_build_log(self, build_log: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
         Self {
             db_build_log: Some(build_log.into()),
@@ -545,6 +553,13 @@ impl FakeBuild {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let build_id = crate::db::add_build_into_database(conn, release_id, &self.result)?;
 
+        if let Some(build_time) = self.build_time {
+            conn.query(
+                "UPDATE builds SET build_time = $2 WHERE id = $1",
+                &[&build_id, &build_time],
+            )?;
+        }
+
         if let Some(db_build_log) = self.db_build_log.as_deref() {
             conn.query(
                 "UPDATE builds SET output = $2 WHERE id = $1",
@@ -566,6 +581,7 @@ impl Default for FakeBuild {
         Self {
             s3_build_log: Some("It works!".into()),
             db_build_log: None,
+            build_time: None,
             result: BuildResult {
                 rustc_version: "rustc 2.0.0-nightly (000000000 1970-01-01)".into(),
                 docsrs_version: "docs.rs 1.0.0 (000000000 1970-01-01)".into(),