diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 4c300ebc1..69ae85635 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ OVN v21.12.3 - xx xxx xxxx
   - A new ACL option, "log-related" has been added that allows for reply and
     related traffic to be logged for an ACL in addition to the traffic that
     directly matches the ACL.
+  - Add "garp-max-timeout-sec" config option to vswitchd external-ids to
+    cap the time between when ovn-controller sends gARP packets.
 
 OVN v21.12.2 - 03 Jun 2022
 --------------------------
diff --git a/controller/ovn-controller.8.xml b/controller/ovn-controller.8.xml
index 68e7de2d4..cb54862bf 100644
--- a/controller/ovn-controller.8.xml
+++ b/controller/ovn-controller.8.xml
@@ -338,6 +338,17 @@
         of how many entries there are in the cache.  By default this is set to
         30000 (30 seconds).
       </dd>
+      <dt><code>external_ids:garp-max-timeout-sec</code></dt>
+      <dd>
+        When used, this configuration value specifies the maximum timeout
+        (in seconds) between two consecutive GARP packets sent by
+        <code>ovn-controller</code>.
+        <code>ovn-controller</code> by default sends just 4 GARP packets
+        with an exponential backoff timeout.
+        Setting <code>external_ids:garp-max-timeout-sec</code> allows to
+        cap for the exponential backoff used by <code>ovn-controller</code>
+        to send GARPs packets.
+      </dd>
     </dl>
 
     <p>
diff --git a/controller/ovn-controller.c b/controller/ovn-controller.c
index 797222895..671485a47 100644
--- a/controller/ovn-controller.c
+++ b/controller/ovn-controller.c
@@ -3888,7 +3888,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                                     &runtime_data->local_datapaths,
                                     &runtime_data->active_tunnels,
                                     &runtime_data->local_active_ports_ipv6_pd,
-                                    &runtime_data->local_active_ports_ras);
+                                    &runtime_data->local_active_ports_ras,
+                                    ovsrec_open_vswitch_table_get(
+                                            ovs_idl_loop.idl));
                         stopwatch_stop(PINCTRL_RUN_STOPWATCH_NAME,
                                        time_msec());
                         /* Updating monitor conditions if runtime data or
diff --git a/controller/pinctrl.c b/controller/pinctrl.c
index 499da59da..829a22aa3 100644
--- a/controller/pinctrl.c
+++ b/controller/pinctrl.c
@@ -164,6 +164,10 @@ static struct ovs_mutex pinctrl_mutex = OVS_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 static struct seq *pinctrl_handler_seq;
 static struct seq *pinctrl_main_seq;
 
+#define GARP_RARP_DEF_MAX_TIMEOUT    16000
+static long long int garp_rarp_max_timeout = GARP_RARP_DEF_MAX_TIMEOUT;
+static bool garp_rarp_continuous;
+
 static void *pinctrl_handler(void *arg);
 
 struct pinctrl {
@@ -209,7 +213,8 @@ static void send_garp_rarp_prepare(
     const struct ovsrec_bridge *,
     const struct sbrec_chassis *,
     const struct hmap *local_datapaths,
-    const struct sset *active_tunnels)
+    const struct sset *active_tunnels,
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch_table *ovs_table)
     OVS_REQUIRES(pinctrl_mutex);
 static void send_garp_rarp_run(struct rconn *swconn,
                                long long int *send_garp_rarp_time)
@@ -3475,7 +3480,8 @@ pinctrl_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
             const struct hmap *local_datapaths,
             const struct sset *active_tunnels,
             const struct shash *local_active_ports_ipv6_pd,
-            const struct shash *local_active_ports_ras)
+            const struct shash *local_active_ports_ras,
+            const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch_table *ovs_table)
 {
     ovs_mutex_lock(&pinctrl_mutex);
     pinctrl_set_br_int_name_(br_int->name);
@@ -3487,7 +3493,7 @@ pinctrl_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
     send_garp_rarp_prepare(ovnsb_idl_txn, sbrec_port_binding_by_datapath,
                            sbrec_port_binding_by_name,
                            sbrec_mac_binding_by_lport_ip, br_int, chassis,
-                           local_datapaths, active_tunnels);
+                           local_datapaths, active_tunnels, ovs_table);
     prepare_ipv6_ras(local_active_ports_ras, sbrec_port_binding_by_name);
     prepare_ipv6_prefixd(ovnsb_idl_txn, sbrec_port_binding_by_name,
                          local_active_ports_ipv6_pd, chassis,
@@ -4330,7 +4336,8 @@ struct garp_rarp_data {
     struct eth_addr ea;          /* Ethernet address of port. */
     ovs_be32 ipv4;               /* Ipv4 address of port. */
     long long int announce_time; /* Next announcement in ms. */
-    int backoff;                 /* Backoff for the next announcement. */
+    int backoff;                 /* Backoff timeout for the next
+                                  * announcement (in msecs). */
     uint32_t dp_key;             /* Datapath used to output this GARP. */
     uint32_t port_key;           /* Port to inject the GARP into. */
 };
@@ -4359,7 +4366,7 @@ add_garp_rarp(const char *name, const struct eth_addr ea, ovs_be32 ip,
     garp_rarp->ea = ea;
     garp_rarp->ipv4 = ip;
     garp_rarp->announce_time = time_msec() + 1000;
-    garp_rarp->backoff = 1;
+    garp_rarp->backoff = 1000; /* msec. */
     garp_rarp->dp_key = dp_key;
     garp_rarp->port_key = port_key;
     shash_add(&send_garp_rarp_data, name, garp_rarp);
@@ -4375,7 +4382,9 @@ send_garp_rarp_update(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
                       struct ovsdb_idl_index *sbrec_mac_binding_by_lport_ip,
                       const struct hmap *local_datapaths,
                       const struct sbrec_port_binding *binding_rec,
-                      struct shash *nat_addresses)
+                      struct shash *nat_addresses,
+                      long long int garp_max_timeout,
+                      bool garp_continuous)
 {
     volatile struct garp_rarp_data *garp_rarp = NULL;
 
@@ -4401,6 +4410,12 @@ send_garp_rarp_update(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
                 if (garp_rarp) {
                     garp_rarp->dp_key = binding_rec->datapath->tunnel_key;
                     garp_rarp->port_key = binding_rec->tunnel_key;
+                    if (garp_max_timeout != garp_rarp_max_timeout ||
+                        garp_continuous != garp_rarp_continuous) {
+                        /* reset backoff */
+                        garp_rarp->announce_time = time_msec() + 1000;
+                        garp_rarp->backoff = 1000; /* msec. */
+                    }
                 } else {
                     add_garp_rarp(name, laddrs->ea,
                                   laddrs->ipv4_addrs[i].addr,
@@ -4425,6 +4440,12 @@ send_garp_rarp_update(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
                     if (garp_rarp) {
                         garp_rarp->dp_key = binding_rec->datapath->tunnel_key;
                         garp_rarp->port_key = binding_rec->tunnel_key;
+                        if (garp_max_timeout != garp_rarp_max_timeout ||
+                            garp_continuous != garp_rarp_continuous) {
+                            /* reset backoff */
+                            garp_rarp->announce_time = time_msec() + 1000;
+                            garp_rarp->backoff = 1000; /* msec. */
+                        }
                     } else {
                         add_garp_rarp(name, laddrs->ea,
                                       0, binding_rec->datapath->tunnel_key,
@@ -4444,6 +4465,12 @@ send_garp_rarp_update(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
     if (garp_rarp) {
         garp_rarp->dp_key = binding_rec->datapath->tunnel_key;
         garp_rarp->port_key = binding_rec->tunnel_key;
+        if (garp_max_timeout != garp_rarp_max_timeout ||
+            garp_continuous != garp_rarp_continuous) {
+            /* reset backoff */
+            garp_rarp->announce_time = time_msec() + 1000;
+            garp_rarp->backoff = 1000; /* msec. */
+        }
         return;
     }
 
@@ -4529,13 +4556,15 @@ send_garp_rarp(struct rconn *swconn, struct garp_rarp_data *garp_rarp,
     ofpbuf_uninit(&ofpacts);
 
     /* Set the next announcement.  At most 5 announcements are sent for a
-     * vif. */
-    if (garp_rarp->backoff < 16) {
-        garp_rarp->backoff *= 2;
-        garp_rarp->announce_time = current_time + garp_rarp->backoff * 1000;
+     * vif if garp_rarp_max_timeout is not specified otherwise cap the max
+     * timeout to garp_rarp_max_timeout. */
+    if (garp_rarp_continuous || garp_rarp->backoff < garp_rarp_max_timeout) {
+        garp_rarp->announce_time = current_time + garp_rarp->backoff;
     } else {
         garp_rarp->announce_time = LLONG_MAX;
     }
+    garp_rarp->backoff = MIN(garp_rarp_max_timeout, garp_rarp->backoff * 2);
+
     return garp_rarp->announce_time;
 }
 
@@ -5778,13 +5807,26 @@ send_garp_rarp_prepare(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
                        const struct ovsrec_bridge *br_int,
                        const struct sbrec_chassis *chassis,
                        const struct hmap *local_datapaths,
-                       const struct sset *active_tunnels)
+                       const struct sset *active_tunnels,
+                       const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch_table *ovs_table)
     OVS_REQUIRES(pinctrl_mutex)
 {
     struct sset localnet_vifs = SSET_INITIALIZER(&localnet_vifs);
     struct sset local_l3gw_ports = SSET_INITIALIZER(&local_l3gw_ports);
     struct sset nat_ip_keys = SSET_INITIALIZER(&nat_ip_keys);
     struct shash nat_addresses;
+    unsigned long long garp_max_timeout = GARP_RARP_DEF_MAX_TIMEOUT;
+    bool garp_continuous = false;
+    const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch *cfg =
+        ovsrec_open_vswitch_table_first(ovs_table);
+    if (cfg) {
+        garp_max_timeout = smap_get_ullong(
+                &cfg->external_ids, "garp-max-timeout-sec", 0) * 1000;
+        garp_continuous = !!garp_max_timeout;
+        if (!garp_max_timeout) {
+            garp_max_timeout = GARP_RARP_DEF_MAX_TIMEOUT;
+        }
+    }
 
     shash_init(&nat_addresses);
 
@@ -5813,8 +5855,10 @@ send_garp_rarp_prepare(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
         const struct sbrec_port_binding *pb = lport_lookup_by_name(
             sbrec_port_binding_by_name, iface_id);
         if (pb) {
-            send_garp_rarp_update(ovnsb_idl_txn, sbrec_mac_binding_by_lport_ip,
-                                  local_datapaths, pb, &nat_addresses);
+            send_garp_rarp_update(ovnsb_idl_txn,
+                                  sbrec_mac_binding_by_lport_ip,
+                                  local_datapaths, pb, &nat_addresses,
+                                  garp_max_timeout, garp_continuous);
         }
     }
 
@@ -5825,7 +5869,8 @@ send_garp_rarp_prepare(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
             = lport_lookup_by_name(sbrec_port_binding_by_name, gw_port);
         if (pb) {
             send_garp_rarp_update(ovnsb_idl_txn, sbrec_mac_binding_by_lport_ip,
-                                  local_datapaths, pb, &nat_addresses);
+                                  local_datapaths, pb, &nat_addresses,
+                                  garp_max_timeout, garp_continuous);
         }
     }
 
@@ -5843,6 +5888,9 @@ send_garp_rarp_prepare(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
     shash_destroy(&nat_addresses);
 
     sset_destroy(&nat_ip_keys);
+
+    garp_rarp_max_timeout = garp_max_timeout;
+    garp_rarp_continuous = garp_continuous;
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/controller/pinctrl.h b/controller/pinctrl.h
index 88f18e983..b76e43626 100644
--- a/controller/pinctrl.h
+++ b/controller/pinctrl.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ struct lport_index;
 struct ovsdb_idl_index;
 struct ovsdb_idl_txn;
 struct ovsrec_bridge;
+struct ovsrec_open_vswitch_table;
 struct sbrec_chassis;
 struct sbrec_dns_table;
 struct sbrec_controller_event_table;
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ void pinctrl_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn,
                  const struct hmap *local_datapaths,
                  const struct sset *active_tunnels,
                  const struct shash *local_active_ports_ipv6_pd,
-                 const struct shash *local_active_ports_ras);
+                 const struct shash *local_active_ports_ras,
+                 const struct ovsrec_open_vswitch_table *ovs_table);
 void pinctrl_wait(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnsb_idl_txn);
 void pinctrl_destroy(void);
 void pinctrl_set_br_int_name(char *br_int_name);
