diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
index 579ecf9c..29841e19 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/matrix.rs
@@ -491,8 +491,10 @@ async fn admin_room_reset_password(
         anyhow::bail!("matrix: admin room send failed: {body}");
     }
 
-    // Poll for a bot response containing the new password (up to 5 × 1 s).
-    for attempt in 0..5_u8 {
+    // Poll for a bot response containing the new password (up to 15 × 1 s).
+    // tuwunel can take several seconds to process the admin-room command
+    // during startup when the homeserver is under load.
+    for attempt in 0..15_u8 {
         tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1)).await;
         let from_encoded = from_token.replace(':', "%3A").replace('+', "%2B");
         let poll_url = format!(
@@ -537,7 +539,7 @@ async fn admin_room_reset_password(
 
     anyhow::bail!(
         "matrix: admin room reset-password for @{localpart}:{server_name}: no password \
-         response received within 5 seconds. Command sent: '{command}'. \
+         response received within 15 seconds. Command sent: '{command}'. \
          Verify the admin room accepts 'reset-password @user:server' commands."
     )
 }