diff --git a/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs b/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
index 118808f1..7ab85cf6 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/components/sync.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ pub const MIN_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT: usize = zebra_consensus::MAX_CHECKPOINT_HEIGHT_GA
 /// See [`MIN_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT`] for details.
 ///
 /// TODO: increase to `MAX_CHECKPOINT_HEIGHT_GAP * 5`, after we implement orchard batching
-pub const DEFAULT_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT: usize = MIN_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT;
+pub const DEFAULT_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT: usize = zebra_consensus::MAX_CHECKPOINT_HEIGHT_GAP * 3;
 
 /// The expected maximum number of hashes in an ObtainTips or ExtendTips response.
 ///
diff --git a/zebrad/src/config.rs b/zebrad/src/config.rs
index 1087b05e..3e2cad9c 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/config.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/config.rs
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ impl Default for SyncSection {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
             // TODO: increase to 50, after we implement orchard batching
-            max_concurrent_block_requests: 25,
+            max_concurrent_block_requests: 40,
             lookahead_limit: sync::DEFAULT_LOOKAHEAD_LIMIT,
         }
     }