diff --git a/src/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider/Provider.cs b/src/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider/Provider.cs
index 971d3c7..6de1263 100644
--- a/src/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider/Provider.cs
+++ b/src/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider/Provider.cs
@@ -41,8 +41,11 @@ public sealed partial class Provider : FeatureProvider
         private const string ProviderShutdownMessage =
             "the provider has encountered a permanent error or been shutdown";
 
-        internal Provider(ILdClient client)
+        private readonly TimeSpan? _initTimeout;
+
+        internal Provider(ILdClient client, TimeSpan? initTimeout = null)
         {
+            _initTimeout = initTimeout;
             _client = client;
             _logger = _client.GetLogger().SubLogger(NameSpace);
             _statusProvider = new StatusProvider(EventChannel, _metadata.Name, _logger);
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ internal Provider(ILdClient client)
         ///  Construct a new instance of the provider with the given configuration.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="config">A client configuration object</param>
-        public Provider(Configuration config) : this(new LdClient(WrapConfig(config)))
+        public Provider(Configuration config) : this(new LdClient(WrapConfig(config)), InitTimeout(config))
         {
         }
 
@@ -61,7 +64,7 @@ public Provider(Configuration config) : this(new LdClient(WrapConfig(config)))
         ///  Construct a new instance of the provider with the given SDK key.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="sdkKey">The SDK key</param>
-        public Provider(string sdkKey) : this(new LdClient(WrapConfig(Configuration.Builder(sdkKey).Build())))
+        public Provider(string sdkKey) : this(Configuration.Builder(sdkKey).Build())
         {
         }
 
@@ -159,6 +162,11 @@ public override Task InitializeAsync(EvaluationContext context, CancellationToke
                 _initCompletion.TrySetException(new LaunchDarklyProviderInitException(ProviderShutdownMessage));
             }
 
+            if (_initTimeout.HasValue && !_initCompletion.Task.IsCompleted)
+            {
+                ScheduleInitTimeout(_initTimeout.Value);
+            }
+
             return _initCompletion.Task;
         }
 
@@ -174,6 +182,33 @@ public override Task ShutdownAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default
 
         #endregion
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// A start wait time of zero means the caller does not want to block on initialization at all, so the provider
+        /// waits indefinitely and leaves it to the caller to decide how long to wait.
+        /// </summary>
+        private static TimeSpan? InitTimeout(Configuration config) =>
+            config.StartWaitTime > TimeSpan.Zero ? config.StartWaitTime : (TimeSpan?)null;
+
+        private void ScheduleInitTimeout(TimeSpan timeout)
+        {
+            var message = $"the provider did not become ready within {timeout.TotalMilliseconds}ms";
+            Task.Delay(timeout).ContinueWith(_ =>
+            {
+                lock (_initLock)
+                {
+                    if (_initCompletion.Task.IsCompleted)
+                    {
+                        return;
+                    }
+
+                    _logger.Warn(message);
+                    // The client keeps trying to connect, so a later successful connection will emit a ready event.
+                    _statusProvider.SetStatus(ProviderStatus.Error, message);
+                    _initCompletion.TrySetException(new LaunchDarklyProviderInitException(message));
+                }
+            }).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
+
         private void FlagChangeHandler(object sender, FlagChangeEvent changeEvent)
         {
             Task.Run(() => SafeWriteChangeEvent(changeEvent)).ConfigureAwait(false);
@@ -203,8 +238,11 @@ private void StatusChangeHandler(object sender, DataSourceStatus status)
                 case DataSourceState.Initializing:
                     break;
                 case DataSourceState.Valid:
-                    _statusProvider.SetStatus(ProviderStatus.Ready);
-                    _initCompletion.TrySetResult(true);
+                    lock (_initLock)
+                    {
+                        _statusProvider.SetStatus(ProviderStatus.Ready);
+                        _initCompletion.TrySetResult(true);
+                    }
                     break;
                 case DataSourceState.Interrupted:
                     // The "ProviderStatus.Error" state says it is unable to evaluate flags. We can always evaluate
diff --git a/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ClientIntegrationTests.cs b/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ClientIntegrationTests.cs
index fd1ab08..337b4f5 100644
--- a/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ClientIntegrationTests.cs
+++ b/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ClientIntegrationTests.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using LaunchDarkly.Logging;
@@ -152,6 +153,51 @@ public async Task ItCanEvaluateFlagsAfterTheDataSourceHasBeenShutdown()
             Assert.True(await client.GetBooleanValueAsync("the-flag", false,
                 EvaluationContext.Builder().Set("targetingKey", "the-key").Build()));
         }
+
+        [Fact(Timeout = 5000)]
+        public async Task ItBecomesReadyAfterInitializationTimesOut()
+        {
+            var mockClient = new Mock<ILdClient>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.GetLogger())
+                .Returns(Components.NoLogging.Build(null).LogAdapter.Logger(null));
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.BoolVariationDetail("the-flag", It.IsAny<Sdk.Context>(), false))
+                .Returns(new Sdk.EvaluationDetail<bool>(true, 10, Sdk.EvaluationReason.FallthroughReason));
+
+            var mockDataSourceStatus = new Mock<IDataSourceStatusProvider>();
+            mockDataSourceStatus.Setup(l => l.Status).Returns(new DataSourceStatus
+            {
+                State = DataSourceState.Initializing
+            });
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.DataSourceStatusProvider).Returns(mockDataSourceStatus.Object);
+
+            var mockFlagTracker = new Mock<IFlagTracker>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.FlagTracker).Returns(mockFlagTracker.Object);
+
+            var provider = new Provider(mockClient.Object, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50));
+
+            await Api.Instance.SetProviderAsync(provider);
+
+            // The handler is added after the failed initialization, otherwise it would be immediately invoked for
+            // the state of any previously registered provider.
+            var readyCount = 0;
+            Api.Instance.AddHandler(ProviderEventTypes.ProviderReady,
+                details => { Interlocked.Increment(ref readyCount); });
+
+            var context = EvaluationContext.Builder().Set("targetingKey", "the-key").Build();
+
+            // A timed out initialization does not short-circuit evaluations.
+            Assert.True(await Api.Instance.GetClient().GetBooleanValueAsync("the-flag", false, context));
+
+            mockDataSourceStatus.Raise(e => e.StatusChanged += null,
+                mockDataSourceStatus.Object,
+                new DataSourceStatus { State = DataSourceState.Valid });
+
+            // The initialization timeout does not stop the client from connecting, so a later connection makes the
+            // provider ready.
+            Thread.Sleep(100);
+            Assert.Equal(1, readyCount);
+            Assert.True(await Api.Instance.GetClient().GetBooleanValueAsync("the-flag", false, context));
+        }
 #endif
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ProviderTests.cs b/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ProviderTests.cs
index ec642dd..ec6ca10 100644
--- a/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ProviderTests.cs
+++ b/test/LaunchDarkly.OpenFeature.ServerProvider.Tests/ProviderTests.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using System.Timers;
@@ -129,6 +130,78 @@ public async Task ItHandlesFailedInitialization()
             Assert.Equal("the provider has encountered a permanent error or been shutdown", exception.Message);
         }
 
+        [Fact(Timeout = 5000)]
+        public async Task ItStopsWaitingForInitializationAfterTheStartWaitTime()
+        {
+            var mockClient = new Mock<ILdClient>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.GetLogger())
+                .Returns(Components.NoLogging.Build(null).LogAdapter.Logger(null));
+
+            var mockDataSourceStatus = new Mock<IDataSourceStatusProvider>();
+            mockDataSourceStatus.Setup(l => l.Status).Returns(new DataSourceStatus
+            {
+                State = DataSourceState.Initializing
+            });
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.DataSourceStatusProvider).Returns(mockDataSourceStatus.Object);
+
+            var mockFlagTracker = new Mock<IFlagTracker>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.FlagTracker).Returns(mockFlagTracker.Object);
+
+            var provider = new Provider(mockClient.Object, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50));
+
+            var exception =
+                await Record.ExceptionAsync(async () => await provider.InitializeAsync(EvaluationContext.Empty));
+            Assert.NotNull(exception);
+            Assert.Equal("the provider did not become ready within 50ms", exception.Message);
+        }
+
+        [Fact(Timeout = 5000)]
+        public async Task ItDoesNotTimeOutInitializationWhenTheStartWaitTimeIsZero()
+        {
+            var provider = new Provider(Configuration.Builder("")
+                .DataSource(Components.ExternalUpdatesOnly)
+                .Events(Components.NoEvents)
+                .StartWaitTime(TimeSpan.Zero)
+                .Build());
+
+            var initialization = provider.InitializeAsync(EvaluationContext.Empty);
+            await Task.Delay(100);
+
+            Assert.False(initialization.IsFaulted);
+        }
+
+        [Fact(Timeout = 5000)]
+        public async Task ItDoesNotTimeOutInitializationWhenTheClientBecomesReady()
+        {
+            var mockClient = new Mock<ILdClient>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.GetLogger())
+                .Returns(Components.NoLogging.Build(null).LogAdapter.Logger(null));
+
+            var mockDataSourceStatus = new Mock<IDataSourceStatusProvider>();
+            mockDataSourceStatus.Setup(l => l.Status).Returns(new DataSourceStatus
+            {
+                State = DataSourceState.Initializing
+            });
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.DataSourceStatusProvider).Returns(mockDataSourceStatus.Object);
+
+            var mockFlagTracker = new Mock<IFlagTracker>();
+            mockClient.Setup(l => l.FlagTracker).Returns(mockFlagTracker.Object);
+
+            var provider = new Provider(mockClient.Object, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(2000));
+
+            var completionTimer = new Timer(50);
+            completionTimer.AutoReset = false;
+            completionTimer.Elapsed += (sender, args) =>
+            {
+                mockDataSourceStatus.Raise(e => e.StatusChanged += null,
+                    mockDataSourceStatus.Object,
+                    new DataSourceStatus {State = DataSourceState.Valid});
+            };
+            completionTimer.Start();
+
+            await provider.InitializeAsync(EvaluationContext.Empty);
+        }
+
         [Fact(Timeout = 5000)]
         public void ItCanBeConstructedWithLoggingConfiguration()
         {