diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b71c66dfb6..bfb7f02d96 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ HSM_BUILD_FLAGS := -tags pebbledb,ledger,hsm_test
 export DOCKER_BUILDKIT := 1
 # set defaults to empty to prevent docker warning
 export LOCALNET_MODE := ""
-export E2E_ARGS := ""
+export E2E_ARGS := $(E2E_ARGS)
 export UPGRADE_HEIGHT := ""
+export ZETACORD_START_PERIOD := "30s"
 
 clean: clean-binaries clean-dir clean-test-dir clean-coverage
 
diff --git a/contrib/localnet/docker-compose.yml b/contrib/localnet/docker-compose.yml
index ceea25ba7f..5474dd66a7 100644
--- a/contrib/localnet/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/contrib/localnet/docker-compose.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ services:
       interval: 30s
       timeout: 10s
       retries: 3
-      start_period: 30s
+      start_period: ${ZETACORED_START_PERIOD}
       start_interval: 1s
     networks:
       mynetwork: