diff --git a/config/helo.checks.ini b/config/helo.checks.ini
index e53a54b05..7da5080af 100644
--- a/config/helo.checks.ini
+++ b/config/helo.checks.ini
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ; disable checks or reject for each test if you are worried about strictness
 
-;dns_timeout=30
+;dns_timeout=28
 
 [check]
 ; match_re=true
diff --git a/plugins/helo.checks.js b/plugins/helo.checks.js
index b5a32147c..bbe0f4efd 100644
--- a/plugins/helo.checks.js
+++ b/plugins/helo.checks.js
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ exports.get_a_records = async function (host) {
         err.code = dns.TIMEOUT;
         this.logerror(err);
         throw err;
-    }, (this.cfg.main.dns_timeout || 30) * 1000);
+    }, (this.cfg.main.dns_timeout || 28) * 1000);
 
     // fully qualify, to ignore any search options in /etc/resolv.conf
     if (!/\.$/.test(host)) host = `${host}.`;