diff --git a/pkg/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/BUILD.bazel
index 1745f9412a24..1efd59d04624 100644
--- a/pkg/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/BUILD.bazel
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ ALL_TESTS = [
     "//pkg/cmd/release:release_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachprod-microbench:roachprod-microbench_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/clusterstats:clusterstats_test",
+    "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/option:option_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/roachtestutil/mixedversion:mixedversion_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/roachtestutil:roachtestutil_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/tests:tests_test",
@@ -1041,6 +1042,7 @@ GO_TARGETS = [
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/clusterstats:clusterstats_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/grafana:grafana",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/option:option",
+    "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/option:option_test",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/registry:registry",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/roachtestutil/clusterupgrade:clusterupgrade",
     "//pkg/cmd/roachtest/roachtestutil/mixedversion:mixedversion",
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/cluster.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/cluster.go
index 214c77793d78..2916ad0d87c8 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/cluster.go
@@ -2365,6 +2365,13 @@ func (c *clusterImpl) ConnE(
 		u.User = url.User(connOptions.User)
 		dataSourceName = u.String()
 	}
+	if len(connOptions.Options) > 0 {
+		vals := make(url.Values)
+		for k, v := range connOptions.Options {
+			vals.Add(k, v)
+		}
+		dataSourceName = dataSourceName + "&" + vals.Encode()
+	}
 	db, err := gosql.Open("postgres", dataSourceName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/BUILD.bazel
index 97be2b00fa75..6289cff1c520 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 load("//build/bazelutil/unused_checker:unused.bzl", "get_x_data")
-load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library", "go_test")
 
 go_library(
     name = "option",
@@ -18,4 +18,12 @@ go_library(
     ],
 )
 
+go_test(
+    name = "option_test",
+    srcs = ["connection_options_test.go"],
+    args = ["-test.timeout=295s"],
+    embed = [":option"],
+    deps = ["@com_github_stretchr_testify//require"],
+)
+
 get_x_data(name = "get_x_data")
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options.go
index 1633e8083823..9131df60ce15 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options.go
@@ -10,9 +10,15 @@
 
 package option
 
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+)
+
 type ConnOption struct {
 	User       string
 	TenantName string
+	Options    map[string]string
 }
 
 func User(user string) func(*ConnOption) {
@@ -26,3 +32,20 @@ func TenantName(tenantName string) func(*ConnOption) {
 		option.TenantName = tenantName
 	}
 }
+
+func ConnectionOption(key, value string) func(*ConnOption) {
+	return func(option *ConnOption) {
+		if len(option.Options) == 0 {
+			option.Options = make(map[string]string)
+		}
+		option.Options[key] = value
+	}
+}
+
+func ConnectTimeout(t time.Duration) func(*ConnOption) {
+	sec := int64(t.Seconds())
+	if sec < 1 {
+		sec = 1
+	}
+	return ConnectionOption("connect_timeout", fmt.Sprintf("%d", sec))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options_test.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c853374954e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option/connection_options_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// Copyright 2023 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+// included in the file licenses/BSL.txt.
+//
+// As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+// the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+// by the Apache License, Version 2.0, included in the file
+// licenses/APL.txt.
+
+package option
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestFirstOptionCreatesMap(t *testing.T) {
+	var opts ConnOption
+	o := ConnectionOption("a", "b")
+	o(&opts)
+	require.NotNil(t, opts.Options)
+}
+
+func TestTimeoutCalculation(t *testing.T) {
+	var opts ConnOption
+	for _, d := range []struct {
+		t time.Duration
+		o string
+	}{
+		{
+			t: time.Second,
+			o: "1",
+		},
+		{
+			t: time.Millisecond,
+			o: "1",
+		},
+		{
+			t: time.Minute,
+			o: "60",
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(d.t.String(), func(t *testing.T) {
+			o := ConnectTimeout(d.t)
+			o(&opts)
+			require.Equal(t, d.o, opts.Options["connect_timeout"])
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/tests/loss_of_quorum_recovery.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/tests/loss_of_quorum_recovery.go
index 30060444378e..f79fd028c24b 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/tests/loss_of_quorum_recovery.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/tests/loss_of_quorum_recovery.go
@@ -264,7 +264,10 @@ func runRecoverLossOfQuorum(ctx context.Context, t test.Test, c cluster.Cluster,
 					if ctx.Err() != nil {
 						return &recoveryImpossibleError{testOutcome: restartFailed}
 					}
-					db, err = c.ConnE(ctx, t.L(), 1)
+					// Note that conn doesn't actually connect, it just creates driver
+					// and prepares URL. Actual connection is done when statement is
+					// being executed.
+					db, err = c.ConnE(ctx, t.L(), 1, option.ConnectTimeout(15*time.Second))
 					if err == nil {
 						break
 					}
@@ -485,7 +488,7 @@ func runHalfOnlineRecoverLossOfQuorum(
 					if ctx.Err() != nil {
 						return &recoveryImpossibleError{testOutcome: restartFailed}
 					}
-					db, err = c.ConnE(ctx, t.L(), remaining[len(remaining)-1])
+					db, err = c.ConnE(ctx, t.L(), remaining[len(remaining)-1], option.ConnectTimeout(15*time.Second))
 					if err == nil {
 						break
 					}