diff --git a/upgrade_tests/upgrade_through_versions_test.py b/upgrade_tests/upgrade_through_versions_test.py
index 4f6a1960b5..2471ed9364 100644
--- a/upgrade_tests/upgrade_through_versions_test.py
+++ b/upgrade_tests/upgrade_through_versions_test.py
@@ -579,7 +579,9 @@ def upgrade_to_version(self, version_meta, partial=False, nodes=None, internode_
             # Setup log4j / logback again (necessary moving from 2.0 -> 2.1):
             node.set_log_level("INFO")
             node.start(wait_other_notice=400, wait_for_binary_proto=True,
-                       jvm_args=['-Dcassandra.disable_max_protocol_auto_override=true'])  # prevent protocol capping in mixed version clusters
+                       jvm_args = ['-Dcassandra.disable_max_protocol_auto_override=true',  # prevent protocol capping in mixed version clusters
+                                   '-Dcassandra.shadow_round_timeout_millis=100'])  # gossip to construct initial ClusterMetadata will fail on the
+                                                                                    # first node as everything is down
             node.nodetool('upgradesstables -a')
 
     def _log_current_ver(self, current_version_meta):