diff --git a/cmd/manager/main.go b/cmd/manager/main.go
index b65b69c10b..bc2e7ba2d5 100644
--- a/cmd/manager/main.go
+++ b/cmd/manager/main.go
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/runtime/signals"
 )
 
+// The default durations for the leader election operations.
+var (
+	leaseDuration = 120 * time.Second
+	renewDeadline = 110 * time.Second
+	retryPeriod   = 20 * time.Second
+)
+
 func main() {
 
 	flag.Set("logtostderr", "true")
@@ -62,7 +69,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	leaderElectLeaseDuration := flag.Duration(
 		"leader-elect-lease-duration",
-		90*time.Second,
+		leaseDuration,
 		"The duration that non-leader candidates will wait after observing a leadership renewal until attempting to acquire leadership of a led but unrenewed leader slot. This is effectively the maximum duration that a leader can be stopped before it is replaced by another candidate. This is only applicable if leader election is enabled.",
 	)
 	metricsAddress := flag.String(
@@ -88,6 +95,9 @@ func main() {
 		LeaderElectionID:        "cluster-api-provider-openstack-leader",
 		LeaseDuration:           leaderElectLeaseDuration,
 		MetricsBindAddress:      *metricsAddress,
+		// Slow the default retry and renew election rate to reduce etcd writes at idle: BZ 1858400
+		RetryPeriod:   &retryPeriod,
+		RenewDeadline: &renewDeadline,
 	}
 	if *watchNamespace != "" {
 		opts.Namespace = *watchNamespace