diff --git a/cfg/rippled-example.cfg b/cfg/rippled-example.cfg
index 8fb7d00875..f6903e06d8 100644
--- a/cfg/rippled-example.cfg
+++ b/cfg/rippled-example.cfg
@@ -1010,10 +1010,11 @@
 #                           The online delete process checks periodically
 #                           that rippled is still in sync with the network,
 #                           and that the validated ledger is less than
-#                           'age_threshold_seconds' old. If not, then continue
+#                           'age_threshold_seconds' old, and that all
+#                           recent ledgers are available. If not, then continue
 #                           sleeping for this number of seconds and 
 #                           checking until healthy.
-#                           Default is 5.
+#                           Default is 1.
 #
 #   Notes:
 #       The 'node_db' entry configures the primary, persistent storage.
diff --git a/src/xrpld/app/misc/SHAMapStoreImp.h b/src/xrpld/app/misc/SHAMapStoreImp.h
index 6fe37bb611..0aa59f3df2 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/app/misc/SHAMapStoreImp.h
+++ b/src/xrpld/app/misc/SHAMapStoreImp.h
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ private:
     std::uint32_t deleteBatch_ = 100;
     std::chrono::milliseconds backOff_{100};
     std::chrono::seconds ageThreshold_{60};
-    /// If  the node is out of sync during an online_delete healthWait()
-    /// call, sleep the thread for this time, and continue checking until
-    /// recovery.
+    /// If  the node is out of sync, or any recent ledgers are not
+    /// available during an online_delete healthWait() call, sleep
+    /// the thread for this time, and continue checking until recovery.
     /// See also: "recovery_wait_seconds" in rippled-example.cfg
-    std::chrono::seconds recoveryWaitTime_{5};
+    std::chrono::seconds recoveryWaitTime_{1};
 
     // these do not exist upon SHAMapStore creation, but do exist
     // as of run() or before