diff --git a/agent/rpc/client_grpc.go b/agent/rpc/client_grpc.go
index 96f864cf25e..318bc093832 100644
--- a/agent/rpc/client_grpc.go
+++ b/agent/rpc/client_grpc.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v5"
@@ -47,32 +48,49 @@ const (
 	// Maximum amount of time between sending consecutive batched log messages.
 	// Controls the delay between the CI job generating a log record, and web users receiving it.
 	maxLogFlushPeriod time.Duration = time.Second
-
-	// ConnectionRetryTimeout is the maximum time to wait for a connection to be restored
-	// before the agent gives up and exits.
-	ConnectionRetryTimeout = 2 * time.Minute
 )
 
 type client struct {
-	client           proto.WoodpeckerClient
-	conn             *grpc.ClientConn
-	logs             chan *proto.LogEntry
-	connectionLostAt time.Time
+	client             proto.WoodpeckerClient
+	conn               *grpc.ClientConn
+	logs               chan *proto.LogEntry
+	connectionLostAt   time.Time
+	connectionLostLock sync.Mutex
+	// connectionRetryTimeout is the maximum time to wait for a connection to be restored before the agent gives up and exits.
+	connectionRetryTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
 // NewGrpcClient returns a new grpc Client.
-func NewGrpcClient(ctx context.Context, conn *grpc.ClientConn) rpc.Peer {
+func NewGrpcClient(ctx context.Context, conn *grpc.ClientConn, opts ...ClientOption) rpc.Peer {
 	client := new(client)
 	client.client = proto.NewWoodpeckerClient(conn)
 	client.conn = conn
 	client.logs = make(chan *proto.LogEntry, 10) // max memory use: 10 lines * 1 MiB
+
+	for _, opt := range opts {
+		opt(client)
+	}
+
 	go client.processLogs(ctx)
 	return client
 }
 
+type ClientOption func(c *client)
+
+func SetConnectionRetryTimeout(d time.Duration) ClientOption {
+	if d == 0 {
+		log.Warn().Msg("connection retry timeout set to infinite")
+	}
+	return func(c *client) {
+		c.connectionRetryTimeout = d
+	}
+}
+
 func (c *client) IsConnected() bool {
 	state := c.conn.GetState()
 	connected := state == connectivity.Ready || state == connectivity.Idle
+	c.connectionLostLock.Lock()
+	defer c.connectionLostLock.Unlock()
 	if !connected && c.connectionLostAt.IsZero() {
 		c.connectionLostAt = time.Now()
 	} else if connected && !c.connectionLostAt.IsZero() {
@@ -82,10 +100,10 @@ func (c *client) IsConnected() bool {
 }
 
 func (c *client) shouldGiveUp() bool {
-	if c.connectionLostAt.IsZero() {
+	if c.connectionRetryTimeout == 0 || c.connectionLostAt.IsZero() {
 		return false
 	}
-	return time.Since(c.connectionLostAt) > ConnectionRetryTimeout
+	return time.Since(c.connectionLostAt) > c.connectionRetryTimeout
 }
 
 func (c *client) newBackOff() backoff.BackOff {
diff --git a/cmd/agent/core/agent.go b/cmd/agent/core/agent.go
index c5a438836e7..1b7ddbccd8f 100644
--- a/cmd/agent/core/agent.go
+++ b/cmd/agent/core/agent.go
@@ -152,7 +152,9 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command, backends []types.Backend) error {
 	}
 	defer conn.Close()
 
-	client := agent_rpc.NewGrpcClient(ctx, conn)
+	client := agent_rpc.NewGrpcClient(ctx, conn,
+		agent_rpc.SetConnectionRetryTimeout(c.Duration("retry-timeout")),
+	)
 	agentConfigPersisted := atomic.Bool{}
 
 	grpcCtx := metadata.NewOutgoingContext(grpcClientCtx, metadata.Pairs("hostname", hostname))
diff --git a/cmd/agent/core/flags.go b/cmd/agent/core/flags.go
index e7ad92f03f8..549da5eaf46 100644
--- a/cmd/agent/core/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/agent/core/flags.go
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ var flags = []cli.Flag{
 		Usage:   "should the grpc server certificate be verified, only valid when WOODPECKER_GRPC_SECURE is true",
 		Value:   true,
 	},
+	&cli.DurationFlag{
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_RETRY_TIMEOUT"),
+		Name:    "retry-timeout",
+		Usage:   "how long the agent keeps retrying to reconnect to the server after the gRPC connection is lost before giving up, set to 0 to retry forever",
+		Value:   2 * time.Minute,
+	},
 	&cli.StringFlag{
 		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_HOSTNAME"),
 		Name:    "hostname",
diff --git a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-configuration/30-agent.md b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-configuration/30-agent.md
index 10f1cbc4670..6c4d2bdb801 100644
--- a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-configuration/30-agent.md
+++ b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-configuration/30-agent.md
@@ -228,6 +228,19 @@ Configures if the gRPC server certificate should be verified, only valid when `W
 
 ---
 
+## RETRY_TIMEOUT
+
+- Name: `WOODPECKER_RETRY_TIMEOUT`
+- Default: `2m`
+
+Set how long the agent keeps retrying to reconnect to the server after the gRPC connection is lost before giving up.
+
+:::warning
+If set to 0 we retry forever.
+:::
+
+---
+
 ### BACKEND
 
 - Name: `WOODPECKER_BACKEND`