diff --git a/test-validator/src/lib.rs b/test-validator/src/lib.rs
index 0c88336cea..7a47f9c0d4 100644
--- a/test-validator/src/lib.rs
+++ b/test-validator/src/lib.rs
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ pub struct TestValidatorGenesis {
     no_bpf_jit: bool,
     accounts: HashMap<Pubkey, AccountSharedData>,
     programs: Vec<ProgramInfo>,
+    ticks_per_slot: Option<u64>,
     epoch_schedule: Option<EpochSchedule>,
     node_config: TestValidatorNodeConfig,
     pub validator_exit: Arc<RwLock<Exit>>,
@@ -129,6 +130,11 @@ impl TestValidatorGenesis {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn ticks_per_slot(&mut self, ticks_per_slot: u64) -> &mut Self {
+        self.ticks_per_slot = Some(ticks_per_slot);
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn epoch_schedule(&mut self, epoch_schedule: EpochSchedule) -> &mut Self {
         self.epoch_schedule = Some(epoch_schedule);
         self
@@ -471,6 +477,10 @@ impl TestValidator {
             .epoch_schedule
             .unwrap_or_else(EpochSchedule::without_warmup);
 
+        if let Some(ticks_per_slot) = config.ticks_per_slot {
+            genesis_config.ticks_per_slot = ticks_per_slot;
+        }
+
         let ledger_path = match &config.ledger_path {
             None => create_new_tmp_ledger!(&genesis_config).0,
             Some(ledger_path) => {
diff --git a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
index d4fcf786cb..89809b0a9e 100644
--- a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
+++ b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use {
     solana_clap_utils::{
         input_parsers::{pubkey_of, pubkeys_of, value_of},
         input_validators::{
-            is_pubkey, is_pubkey_or_keypair, is_slot, is_url_or_moniker,
+            is_parsable, is_pubkey, is_pubkey_or_keypair, is_slot, is_url_or_moniker,
             normalize_to_url_if_moniker,
         },
     },
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ fn main() {
                 .takes_value(false)
                 .help("Disable the just-in-time compiler and instead use the interpreter for BPF. Windows always disables JIT."),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("ticks_per_slot")
+                .long("ticks-per-slot")
+                .value_name("TICKS")
+                .validator(is_parsable::<u64>)
+                .takes_value(true)
+                .help("The number of ticks in a slot"),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("slots_per_epoch")
                 .long("slots-per-epoch")
@@ -403,6 +411,7 @@ fn main() {
     let rpc_port = value_t_or_exit!(matches, "rpc_port", u16);
     let enable_vote_subscription = matches.is_present("rpc_pubsub_enable_vote_subscription");
     let faucet_port = value_t_or_exit!(matches, "faucet_port", u16);
+    let ticks_per_slot = value_t!(matches, "ticks_per_slot", u64).ok();
     let slots_per_epoch = value_t!(matches, "slots_per_epoch", Slot).ok();
     let gossip_host = matches.value_of("gossip_host").map(|gossip_host| {
         solana_net_utils::parse_host(gossip_host).unwrap_or_else(|err| {
@@ -545,6 +554,7 @@ fn main() {
             ("clone_account", "--clone"),
             ("account", "--account"),
             ("mint_address", "--mint"),
+            ("ticks_per_slot", "--ticks-per-slot"),
             ("slots_per_epoch", "--slots-per-epoch"),
             ("faucet_sol", "--faucet-sol"),
         ] {
@@ -630,6 +640,10 @@ fn main() {
         genesis.warp_slot(warp_slot);
     }
 
+    if let Some(ticks_per_slot) = ticks_per_slot {
+        genesis.ticks_per_slot(ticks_per_slot);
+    }
+
     if let Some(slots_per_epoch) = slots_per_epoch {
         genesis.epoch_schedule(EpochSchedule::custom(
             slots_per_epoch,