diff --git a/box.js b/box.js
index 133bce7a6..3e34839f7 100755
--- a/box.js
+++ b/box.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 const constants = require('./src/constants.js'),
     fs = require('fs'),
     ldapServer = require('./src/ldapserver.js'),
+    net = require('net'),
     oidc = require('./src/oidc.js'),
     paths = require('./src/paths.js'),
     proxyAuth = require('./src/proxyauth.js'),
@@ -25,6 +26,12 @@ async function setupLogging() {
     };
 }
 
+// happy eyeballs workaround. when there is no ipv6, nodejs timesout prematurely since the default for ipv4 is just 250ms
+// https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/54359
+async function setupNetworking() {
+    net.setDefaultAutoSelectFamilyAttemptTimeout(5000);
+}
+
 // this is also used as the 'uncaughtException' handler which can only have synchronous functions
 function exitSync(status) {
     const ts = new Date().toISOString();
@@ -37,6 +44,7 @@ function exitSync(status) {
 
 async function startServers() {
     await setupLogging();
+    await setupNetworking();
     await server.start(); // do this first since it also inits the database
     await proxyAuth.start();
     await ldapServer.start();
diff --git a/src/taskworker.js b/src/taskworker.js
index ee7c6f0fc..6f0820160 100755
--- a/src/taskworker.js
+++ b/src/taskworker.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const apptask = require('./apptask.js'),
     externalLdap = require('./externalldap.js'),
     fs = require('fs'),
     mailServer = require('./mailserver.js'),
+    net = require('net'),
     reverseProxy = require('./reverseproxy.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     system = require('./system.js'),
@@ -57,6 +58,11 @@ async function setupLogging() {
     process.stdout.logFile = logFile; // used by update task
 }
 
+// happy eyeballs workaround. see box.js for detailed note
+async function setupNetworking() {
+    net.setDefaultAutoSelectFamilyAttemptTimeout(5000);
+}
+
 // this is also used as the 'uncaughtException' handler which can only have synchronous functions
 function exitSync(status) {
     if (status.error) fs.write(logFd, status.error.stack + '\n', function () {});
@@ -70,6 +76,7 @@ const startTime = new Date();
 
 async.series([
     setupLogging,
+    setupNetworking,
     database.initialize,
 ], async function (initError) {
     if (initError) {