diff --git a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/CreateXHarnessAppleWorkItems.cs b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/CreateXHarnessAppleWorkItems.cs
index e324eea4bec..fe8c942a338 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/CreateXHarnessAppleWorkItems.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/CreateXHarnessAppleWorkItems.cs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public static class MetadataNames
         private const string EntryPointScript = "xharness-helix-job.apple.sh";
         private const string RunnerScript = "xharness-runner.apple.sh";
 
-        private static readonly TimeSpan s_defaultLaunchTimeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10);
+        private static readonly TimeSpan s_defaultLaunchTimeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// An array of one or more paths to iOS/tvOS app bundles (folders ending with ".app" usually)
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/tools/xharness-runner/xharness-runner.apple.sh b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/tools/xharness-runner/xharness-runner.apple.sh
index 6edac5fe051..69d5adc7c55 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/tools/xharness-runner/xharness-runner.apple.sh
+++ b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Helix/Sdk/tools/xharness-runner/xharness-runner.apple.sh
@@ -179,6 +179,14 @@ if [ $exit_code -eq 81 ] && [[ "$target" =~ "device" ]]; then
     touch './.reboot'
 fi
 
+# Simulators are known to slow down which results in installation taking several minutes
+# Retry+reboot usually resolves this
+# 86 - app installation timeout
+if [ $exit_code -eq 86 ]; then
+    touch './.retry'
+    touch './.reboot'
+fi
+
 # The simulator logs comming from the sudo-spawned Simulator.app are not readable/deletable by the helix uploader
 chmod -R 0766 "$output_directory"