diff --git a/python/ray/_private/ray_constants.py b/python/ray/_private/ray_constants.py
index 576b0aeccfd5..2f99fc7861ba 100644
--- a/python/ray/_private/ray_constants.py
+++ b/python/ray/_private/ray_constants.py
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ def env_set_by_user(key):
 # instantiate a Job SubmissionClient.
 RAY_JOB_HEADERS = "RAY_JOB_HEADERS"
 
+# Timeout waiting for the dashboard to come alive during node startup.
+RAY_DASHBOARD_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_S = env_integer("RAY_DASHBOARD_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_S", 60)
+
 DEFAULT_DASHBOARD_IP = "127.0.0.1"
 DEFAULT_DASHBOARD_PORT = 8265
 DASHBOARD_ADDRESS = "dashboard"
diff --git a/python/ray/_private/services.py b/python/ray/_private/services.py
index cb18634a68dc..d00a7bd30cad 100644
--- a/python/ray/_private/services.py
+++ b/python/ray/_private/services.py
@@ -1313,7 +1313,10 @@ def start_api_server(
         ray.experimental.internal_kv._initialize_internal_kv(gcs_client)
         dashboard_url = None
         dashboard_returncode = None
-        for _ in range(200):
+        start_time_s = time.time()
+        while (
+            time.time() - start_time_s < ray_constants.RAY_DASHBOARD_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_S
+        ):
             dashboard_url = ray.experimental.internal_kv._internal_kv_get(
                 ray_constants.DASHBOARD_ADDRESS,
                 namespace=ray_constants.KV_NAMESPACE_DASHBOARD,
@@ -1324,6 +1327,7 @@ def start_api_server(
             dashboard_returncode = process_info.process.poll()
             if dashboard_returncode is not None:
                 break
+
             # This is often on the critical path of ray.init() and ray start,
             # so we need to poll often.
             time.sleep(0.1)