diff --git a/cosmovisor/CHANGELOG.md b/cosmovisor/CHANGELOG.md
index aa1aef2a0cd1..8f9089395f34 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/cosmovisor/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 
 ### Features
 
+* [\#12188](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/12188) Add a `DAEMON_RESTART_DELAY` for allowing a node operator to define a delay between the node halt (for upgrade) and backup.
 * [\#11823](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11823) Refactor `cosmovisor` CLI to use `cobra`.
 * [\#11731](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/11731) `cosmovisor version -o json` returns the cosmovisor version and the result of `simd --output json --long` in one JSON object.
 
@@ -46,6 +47,10 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 
 * [\#12005](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/12005) Fix cosmovisor binary usage for pre-upgrade
 
+### CLI Breaking Changes
+
+* [\#12188](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/12188) Remove the possibility to set a time with only a number. `DAEMON_POLL_INTERVAL` env variable now only supports a duration (e.g. `100ms`, `30s`, `20m`).
+
 ## v1.1.0 2022-10-02
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/cosmovisor/README.md b/cosmovisor/README.md
index c0e50139b125..319817341d7d 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/README.md
+++ b/cosmovisor/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ All arguments passed to `cosmovisor run` will be passed to the application binar
 * `DAEMON_NAME` is the name of the binary itself (e.g. `gaiad`, `regend`, `simd`, etc.).
 * `DAEMON_ALLOW_DOWNLOAD_BINARIES` (*optional*), if set to `true`, will enable auto-downloading of new binaries (for security reasons, this is intended for full nodes rather than validators). By default, `cosmovisor` will not auto-download new binaries.
 * `DAEMON_RESTART_AFTER_UPGRADE` (*optional*, default = `true`), if `true`, restarts the subprocess with the same command-line arguments and flags (but with the new binary) after a successful upgrade. Otherwise (`false`), `cosmovisor` stops running after an upgrade and requires the system administrator to manually restart it. Note restart is only after the upgrade and does not auto-restart the subprocess after an error occurs.
-* `DAEMON_POLL_INTERVAL` is the interval length for polling the upgrade plan file. The value can either be a number (in milliseconds) or a duration (e.g. `1s`). Default: 300 milliseconds.
+* `DAEMON_RESTART_DELAY` (*optional*, default none), allow a node operator to define a delay between the node halt (for upgrade) and backup by the specified time. The value must be a duration (e.g. `1s`).
+* `DAEMON_POLL_INTERVAL` (*optional*, default 300 milliseconds), is the interval length for polling the upgrade plan file. The value must be a duration (e.g. `1s`).
 * `DAEMON_BACKUP_DIR` option to set a custom backup directory. If not set, `DAEMON_HOME` is used.
 * `UNSAFE_SKIP_BACKUP` (defaults to `false`), if set to `true`, upgrades directly without performing a backup. Otherwise (`false`, default) backs up the data before trying the upgrade. The default value of false is useful and recommended in case of failures and when a backup needed to rollback. We recommend using the default backup option `UNSAFE_SKIP_BACKUP=false`.
 * `DAEMON_PREUPGRADE_MAX_RETRIES` (defaults to `0`). The maximum number of times to call `pre-upgrade` in the application after exit status of `31`. After the maximum number of retries, cosmovisor fails the upgrade.
diff --git a/cosmovisor/args.go b/cosmovisor/args.go
index c9a0d36a9279..af16586c9113 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/args.go
+++ b/cosmovisor/args.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package cosmovisor
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	EnvName                 = "DAEMON_NAME"
 	EnvDownloadBin          = "DAEMON_ALLOW_DOWNLOAD_BINARIES"
 	EnvRestartUpgrade       = "DAEMON_RESTART_AFTER_UPGRADE"
+	EnvRestartDelay         = "DAEMON_RESTART_DELAY"
 	EnvSkipBackup           = "UNSAFE_SKIP_BACKUP"
 	EnvDataBackupPath       = "DAEMON_DATA_BACKUP_DIR"
 	EnvInterval             = "DAEMON_POLL_INTERVAL"
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Name                  string
 	AllowDownloadBinaries bool
 	RestartAfterUpgrade   bool
+	RestartDelay          time.Duration
 	PollInterval          time.Duration
 	UnsafeSkipBackup      bool
 	DataBackupPath        string
@@ -97,6 +98,13 @@ func (cfg *Config) SymLinkToGenesis() (string, error) {
 	return cfg.GenesisBin(), nil
 }
 
+// WaitRestartDelay will block and wait until the RestartDelay has elapsed.
+func (cfg *Config) WaitRestartDelay() {
+	if cfg.RestartDelay > 0 {
+		time.Sleep(cfg.RestartDelay)
+	}
+}
+
 // CurrentBin is the path to the currently selected binary (genesis if no link is set)
 // This will resolve the symlink to the underlying directory to make it easier to debug
 func (cfg *Config) CurrentBin() (string, error) {
@@ -152,23 +160,27 @@ func GetConfigFromEnv() (*Config, error) {
 
 	interval := os.Getenv(EnvInterval)
 	if interval != "" {
-		var intervalUInt uint64
-		intervalUInt, err = strconv.ParseUint(interval, 10, 32)
-		if err == nil {
-			cfg.PollInterval = time.Millisecond * time.Duration(intervalUInt)
+		val, err := parseEnvDuration(interval)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("invalid: %s: %w", EnvInterval, err))
 		} else {
-			cfg.PollInterval, err = time.ParseDuration(interval)
-		}
-		switch {
-		case err != nil:
-			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("invalid %s: could not parse \"%s\" into either a duration or uint (milliseconds)", EnvInterval, interval))
-		case cfg.PollInterval <= 0:
-			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("invalid %s: must be greater than 0", EnvInterval))
+			cfg.PollInterval = val
 		}
 	} else {
 		cfg.PollInterval = 300 * time.Millisecond
 	}
 
+	cfg.RestartDelay = 0 // default value but makes it explicit
+	restartDelay := os.Getenv(EnvRestartDelay)
+	if restartDelay != "" {
+		val, err := parseEnvDuration(restartDelay)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("invalid: %s: %w", EnvRestartDelay, err))
+		} else {
+			cfg.RestartDelay = val
+		}
+	}
+
 	envPreupgradeMaxRetriesVal := os.Getenv(EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries)
 	if cfg.PreupgradeMaxRetries, err = strconv.Atoi(envPreupgradeMaxRetriesVal); err != nil && envPreupgradeMaxRetriesVal != "" {
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s could not be parsed to int: %w", EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries, err))
@@ -182,6 +194,19 @@ func GetConfigFromEnv() (*Config, error) {
 	return cfg, nil
 }
 
+func parseEnvDuration(input string) (time.Duration, error) {
+	duration, err := time.ParseDuration(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("could not parse '%s' into a duration: %w", input, err)
+	}
+
+	if duration <= 0 {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("must be greater than 0")
+	}
+
+	return duration, nil
+}
+
 // LogConfigOrError logs either the config details or the error.
 func LogConfigOrError(logger *zerolog.Logger, cfg *Config, err error) {
 	if cfg == nil && err == nil {
@@ -201,15 +226,18 @@ func LogConfigOrError(logger *zerolog.Logger, cfg *Config, err error) {
 // and that Name is set
 func (cfg *Config) validate() []error {
 	var errs []error
+
+	// validate EnvName
 	if cfg.Name == "" {
-		errs = append(errs, errors.New(EnvName+" is not set"))
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s is not set", EnvName))
 	}
 
+	// validate EnvHome
 	switch {
 	case cfg.Home == "":
-		errs = append(errs, errors.New(EnvHome+" is not set"))
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s is not set", EnvHome))
 	case !filepath.IsAbs(cfg.Home):
-		errs = append(errs, errors.New(EnvHome+" must be an absolute path"))
+		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s must be an absolute path", EnvHome))
 	default:
 		switch info, err := os.Stat(cfg.Root()); {
 		case err != nil:
@@ -223,7 +251,8 @@ func (cfg *Config) validate() []error {
 	if cfg.UnsafeSkipBackup == true {
 		return errs
 	}
-	// if UnsafeSkipBackup is false, check if the DataBackupPath valid
+
+	// if UnsafeSkipBackup is false, validate DataBackupPath
 	switch {
 	case cfg.DataBackupPath == "":
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s must not be empty", EnvDataBackupPath))
@@ -327,11 +356,13 @@ func (cfg Config) DetailString() string {
 		{EnvName, cfg.Name},
 		{EnvDownloadBin, fmt.Sprintf("%t", cfg.AllowDownloadBinaries)},
 		{EnvRestartUpgrade, fmt.Sprintf("%t", cfg.RestartAfterUpgrade)},
+		{EnvRestartDelay, fmt.Sprintf("%s", cfg.RestartDelay)},
 		{EnvInterval, fmt.Sprintf("%s", cfg.PollInterval)},
 		{EnvSkipBackup, fmt.Sprintf("%t", cfg.UnsafeSkipBackup)},
 		{EnvDataBackupPath, cfg.DataBackupPath},
 		{EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries, fmt.Sprintf("%d", cfg.PreupgradeMaxRetries)},
 	}
+
 	derivedEntries := []struct{ name, value string }{
 		{"Root Dir", cfg.Root()},
 		{"Upgrade Dir", cfg.BaseUpgradeDir()},
diff --git a/cosmovisor/args_test.go b/cosmovisor/args_test.go
index 136440a63251..3ecb6f871b15 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/args_test.go
+++ b/cosmovisor/args_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type cosmovisorEnv struct {
 	Name                 string
 	DownloadBin          string
 	RestartUpgrade       string
+	RestartDelay         string
 	SkipBackup           string
 	DataBackupPath       string
 	Interval             string
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ func (c cosmovisorEnv) ToMap() map[string]string {
 		EnvName:                 c.Name,
 		EnvDownloadBin:          c.DownloadBin,
 		EnvRestartUpgrade:       c.RestartUpgrade,
+		EnvRestartDelay:         c.RestartDelay,
 		EnvSkipBackup:           c.SkipBackup,
 		EnvDataBackupPath:       c.DataBackupPath,
 		EnvInterval:             c.Interval,
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ func (c *cosmovisorEnv) Set(envVar, envVal string) {
 		c.DownloadBin = envVal
 	case EnvRestartUpgrade:
 		c.RestartUpgrade = envVal
+	case EnvRestartDelay:
+		c.RestartDelay = envVal
 	case EnvSkipBackup:
 		c.SkipBackup = envVal
 	case EnvDataBackupPath:
@@ -354,12 +358,13 @@ func (s *argsTestSuite) TestGetConfigFromEnv() {
 	absPath, perr := filepath.Abs(relPath)
 	s.Require().NoError(perr)
 
-	newConfig := func(home, name, dataBackupPath string, downloadBin, restartUpgrade, skipBackup bool, interval, preupgradeMaxRetries int) *Config {
+	newConfig := func(home, name string, downloadBin, restartUpgrade bool, restartDelay int, skipBackup bool, dataBackupPath string, interval int, preupgradeMaxRetries int) *Config {
 		return &Config{
 			Home:                  home,
 			Name:                  name,
 			AllowDownloadBinaries: downloadBin,
 			RestartAfterUpgrade:   restartUpgrade,
+			RestartDelay:          time.Millisecond * time.Duration(restartDelay),
 			PollInterval:          time.Millisecond * time.Duration(interval),
 			UnsafeSkipBackup:      skipBackup,
 			DataBackupPath:        dataBackupPath,
@@ -373,160 +378,201 @@ func (s *argsTestSuite) TestGetConfigFromEnv() {
 		expectedCfg      *Config
 		expectedErrCount int
 	}{
-		// EnvHome, EnvName, EnvDownloadBin, EnvRestartUpgrade, EnvSkipBackup, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvInterval, EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries
 		{
-			name:             "all bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{"", "", "bad", "bad", "bad", "", "bad", "bad"},
+			name: "all bad",
+			envVals: cosmovisorEnv{
+				Home:                 "",
+				Name:                 "",
+				DownloadBin:          "bad",
+				RestartUpgrade:       "bad",
+				RestartDelay:         "bad",
+				SkipBackup:           "bad",
+				DataBackupPath:       "bad",
+				Interval:             "bad",
+				PreupgradeMaxRetries: "bad",
+			},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
-			expectedErrCount: 8,
+			expectedErrCount: 9,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "all good",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "nothing set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{"", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{"", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 3,
 		},
 		// Note: Home and Name tests are done in TestValidate
 		{
 			name:             "download bin bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "bad", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "bad", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "download bin not set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "download bin true",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "download bin false",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
-		// EnvHome, EnvName, EnvDownloadBin, EnvRestartUpgrade, EnvSkipBackup, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvInterval, EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries
 		{
 			name:             "restart upgrade bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "bad", "true", "", "303", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "bad", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "restart upgrade not set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, true, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, true, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "restart upgrade true",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "true", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, true, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "true", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, true, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "restart upgrade true",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
-		// EnvHome, EnvName, EnvDownloadBin, EnvRestartUpgrade, EnvSkipBackup, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvInterval, EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries
 		{
 			name:             "skip unsafe backups bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "bad", "", "303", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "bad", "", "303ms", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "skip unsafe backups not set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, false, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, false, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "skip unsafe backups true",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "true", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, true, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "true", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, true, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "skip unsafe backups false",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "false", "", "303", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, true, false, false, 303, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "true", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", true, false, 600, false, absPath, 303, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
-		// EnvHome, EnvName, EnvDownloadBin, EnvRestartUpgrade, EnvSkipBackup, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvInterval, EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries
 		{
 			name:             "poll interval bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "bad", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "bad", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "poll interval 0",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "0", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "0", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "poll interval not set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 300, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, false, absPath, 300, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
-			name:             "poll interval 987",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "987", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 987, 1),
-			expectedErrCount: 0,
+			name:             "poll interval 600",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "600", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      nil,
+			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "poll interval 1s",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "1s", "1"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 1000, 1),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "1s", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, false, absPath, 1000, 1),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "poll interval -3m",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "-3m", "1"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "-3m", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      nil,
+			expectedErrCount: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay bad",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "bad", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      nil,
+			expectedErrCount: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay 0",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "0", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      nil,
+			expectedErrCount: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay not set",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 0, false, absPath, 303, 1),
+			expectedErrCount: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay 600",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600", "false", "", "300ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      nil,
+			expectedErrCount: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay 1s",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "1s", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 1000, false, absPath, 303, 1),
+			expectedErrCount: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "restart delay -3m",
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "-3m", "false", "", "303ms", "1"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
-		// EnvHome, EnvName, EnvDownloadBin, EnvRestartUpgrade, EnvSkipBackup, EnvDataBackupPath, EnvInterval, EnvPreupgradeMaxRetries
 		{
 			name:             "prepupgrade max retries bad",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "406", "bad"},
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "406ms", "bad"},
 			expectedCfg:      nil,
 			expectedErrCount: 1,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "prepupgrade max retries 0",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "406", "0"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 406, 0),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "406ms", "0"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, false, absPath, 406, 0),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "prepupgrade max retries not set",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "406", ""},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 406, 0),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "406ms", ""},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, false, absPath, 406, 0),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 		{
 			name:             "prepupgrade max retries 5",
-			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "false", "", "406", "5"},
-			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", absPath, false, false, false, 406, 5),
+			envVals:          cosmovisorEnv{absPath, "testname", "false", "false", "600ms", "false", "", "406ms", "5"},
+			expectedCfg:      newConfig(absPath, "testname", false, false, 600, false, absPath, 406, 5),
 			expectedErrCount: 0,
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/cosmovisor/process.go b/cosmovisor/process.go
index 9a1e8aded69b..fe0df910cc8e 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/process.go
+++ b/cosmovisor/process.go
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ func (l Launcher) Run(args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) (bool, error) {
 	}
 
 	if !IsSkipUpgradeHeight(args, l.fw.currentInfo) {
+		l.cfg.WaitRestartDelay()
+
 		if err := l.doBackup(); err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
diff --git a/cosmovisor/process_test.go b/cosmovisor/process_test.go
index 623634277bb6..1beadecc7e78 100644
--- a/cosmovisor/process_test.go
+++ b/cosmovisor/process_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package cosmovisor_test
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
@@ -47,11 +48,9 @@ func (s *processTestSuite) TestLaunchProcess() {
 	require.NoError(err)
 	require.True(doUpgrade)
 	require.Equal("", stderr.String())
-	require.Equal(fmt.Sprintf("Genesis foo bar 1234 %s\nUPGRADE \"chain2\" NEEDED at height: 49: {}\n", upgradeFile),
-		stdout.String())
+	require.Equal(fmt.Sprintf("Genesis foo bar 1234 %s\nUPGRADE \"chain2\" NEEDED at height: 49: {}\n", upgradeFile), stdout.String())
 
 	// ensure this is upgraded now and produces new output
-
 	currentBin, err = cfg.CurrentBin()
 	require.NoError(err)
 
@@ -70,6 +69,37 @@ func (s *processTestSuite) TestLaunchProcess() {
 	require.Equal(cfg.UpgradeBin("chain2"), currentBin)
 }
 
+func (s *processTestSuite) TestLaunchProcessWithRestartDelay() {
+	// binaries from testdata/validate directory
+	require := s.Require()
+	home := copyTestData(s.T(), "validate")
+	cfg := &cosmovisor.Config{Home: home, Name: "dummyd", RestartDelay: 5 * time.Second, PollInterval: 20, UnsafeSkipBackup: true}
+	logger := cosmovisor.NewLogger()
+
+	// should run the genesis binary and produce expected output
+	stdout, stderr := NewBuffer(), NewBuffer()
+	currentBin, err := cfg.CurrentBin()
+	require.NoError(err)
+	require.Equal(cfg.GenesisBin(), currentBin)
+
+	launcher, err := cosmovisor.NewLauncher(logger, cfg)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	upgradeFile := cfg.UpgradeInfoFilePath()
+
+	start := time.Now()
+
+	doUpgrade, err := launcher.Run([]string{"foo", "bar", "1234", upgradeFile}, stdout, stderr)
+	require.NoError(err)
+	require.True(doUpgrade)
+
+	// may not be the best way but the fastest way to check we meet the delay
+	// in addition to comparing both the runtime of this test and TestLaunchProcess in addition
+	if time.Since(start) < cfg.RestartDelay {
+		require.FailNow("restart delay not met")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestLaunchProcess will try running the script a few times and watch upgrades work properly
 // and args are passed through
 func (s *processTestSuite) TestLaunchProcessWithDownloads() {