diff --git a/server/events.go b/server/events.go
index f92c7fe071d..853db0a5bff 100644
--- a/server/events.go
+++ b/server/events.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ const (
 
 // FIXME(dlc) - make configurable.
 var eventsHBInterval = 30 * time.Second
+var statsHBInterval = 10 * time.Second
 
 // Default minimum wait time for sending statsz
 const defaultStatszRateLimit = 1 * time.Second
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 2db2f35574c..49388d30085 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ func (s *Server) setSystemAccount(acc *Account) error {
 		recvqp:  newIPQueue[*inSysMsg](s, "System recvQ Pings"),
 		resetCh: make(chan struct{}),
 		sq:      s.newSendQ(),
-		statsz:  eventsHBInterval,
+		statsz:  statsHBInterval,
 		orphMax: 5 * eventsHBInterval,
 		chkOrph: 3 * eventsHBInterval,
 	}