diff --git a/src/core/tcp.c b/src/core/tcp.c
index 1993928d..3f3aac94 100644
--- a/src/core/tcp.c
+++ b/src/core/tcp.c
@@ -1977,8 +1977,14 @@ tcp_alloc(u8_t prio)
     /* As initial send MSS, we use TCP_MSS but limit it to 536.
        The send MSS is updated when an MSS option is received. */
     pcb->mss = INITIAL_MSS;
+#if ESP_LWIP
+    /* make TCP's retransmission time to be configurable */
+    pcb->rto = LWIP_TCP_RTO_TIME / TCP_SLOW_INTERVAL;
+    pcb->sv = LWIP_TCP_RTO_TIME / TCP_SLOW_INTERVAL;
+#else
     pcb->rto = 3000 / TCP_SLOW_INTERVAL;
     pcb->sv = 3000 / TCP_SLOW_INTERVAL;
+#endif
     pcb->rtime = -1;
     pcb->cwnd = 1;
     pcb->tmr = tcp_ticks;
diff --git a/src/include/lwip/opt.h b/src/include/lwip/opt.h
index 3a338d5a..d7e3e7eb 100644
--- a/src/include/lwip/opt.h
+++ b/src/include/lwip/opt.h
@@ -1534,6 +1534,11 @@
 #define LWIP_ALTCP_TLS                  0
 #endif
 
+#if ESP_LWIP
+#if !defined LWIP_TCP_RTO_TIME || defined __DOXYGEN__
+#define LWIP_TCP_RTO_TIME             3000
+#endif
+#endif
 /**
  * @}
  */