diff --git a/cli/commands.go b/cli/commands.go
index 73790935c9..d3d76d46f4 100644
--- a/cli/commands.go
+++ b/cli/commands.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var (
 			Name:      "join",
 			ShortName: "j",
 			Usage:     "join a docker cluster",
-			Flags:     []cli.Flag{flJoinAdvertise, flHeartBeat, flTTL, flDiscoveryOpt},
+			Flags:     []cli.Flag{flJoinAdvertise, flHeartBeat, flTTL, flJoinRandomDelay, flDiscoveryOpt},
 			Action:    join,
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/cli/flags.go b/cli/flags.go
index 6d783189e9..b7d4e617b4 100644
--- a/cli/flags.go
+++ b/cli/flags.go
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ var (
 		Usage:  "Address of the Docker Engine joining the cluster. Swarm manager(s) MUST be able to reach the Docker Engine at this address.",
 		EnvVar: "SWARM_ADVERTISE",
 	}
+	flJoinRandomDelay = cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "joindelay",
+		Value: "0s",
+		Usage: "add a random delay in [0s,joindelay] to avoid synchronized registration",
+	}
 	flManageAdvertise = cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:   "advertise, addr",
 		Usage:  "Address of the swarm manager joining the cluster. Other swarm manager(s) MUST be able to reach the swarm manager at this address.",
diff --git a/cli/join.go b/cli/join.go
index f59c005f91..5de81276a8 100644
--- a/cli/join.go
+++ b/cli/join.go
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ func join(c *cli.Context) {
 		log.Fatal("--advertise should be of the form ip:port or hostname:port")
 	}
 
+	joinDelay, err := time.ParseDuration(c.String("joindelay"))
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("invalid --joindelay: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	hb, err := time.ParseDuration(c.String("heartbeat"))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("invalid --heartbeat: %v", err)
@@ -49,11 +54,13 @@ func join(c *cli.Context) {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	// add a random delay [0,hb) at start to avoid synchronized registration
-	r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UTC().UnixNano()))
-	delay := time.Duration(r.Int63n(int64(hb)))
-	log.Infof("Add a random delay %s to avoid synchronized registration", delay)
-	time.Sleep(delay)
+	// add a random delay between 0s and joinDelay at start to avoid synchronized registration
+	if joinDelay > 0 {
+		r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UTC().UnixNano()))
+		delay := time.Duration(r.Int63n(int64(joinDelay)))
+		log.Infof("Add a random delay %s to avoid synchronized registration", delay)
+		time.Sleep(delay)
+	}
 
 	for {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"addr": addr, "discovery": dflag}).Infof("Registering on the discovery service every %s...", hb)