diff --git a/kafka/conn.py b/kafka/conn.py
index 99466d90f..94d59f7c9 100644
--- a/kafka/conn.py
+++ b/kafka/conn.py
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ class BrokerConnection(object):
             server-side log entries that correspond to this client. Also
             submitted to GroupCoordinator for logging with respect to
             consumer group administration. Default: 'kafka-python-{version}'
+        connecting_delay_ms (int): Time to wait before sending data when a
+            connection is in state CONNECTING. Small but non-zero timeout is
+            recommended to avoid busy loop as well as to avoid unnecessary
+            delays while connecting. Default: 100
         reconnect_backoff_ms (int): The amount of time in milliseconds to
             wait before attempting to reconnect to a given host.
             Default: 50.
@@ -192,6 +196,7 @@ class BrokerConnection(object):
 
     DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
         'client_id': 'kafka-python-' + __version__,
+        'connecting_delay_ms': 100,
         'node_id': 0,
         'request_timeout_ms': 30000,
         'reconnect_backoff_ms': 50,
@@ -769,15 +774,16 @@ def connection_delay(self):
         """
         Return the number of milliseconds to wait, based on the connection
         state, before attempting to send data. When disconnected, this respects
-        the reconnect backoff time. When connecting, returns 0 to allow
-        non-blocking connect to finish. When connected, returns a very large
-        number to handle slow/stalled connections.
+        the reconnect backoff time. When connecting, returns value defined by
+        connecting_delay_ms config value -- typically something less than a
+        second -- to allow non-blocking connect to finish. When connected,
+        returns a very large number to handle slow/stalled connections.
         """
         time_waited = time.time() - (self.last_attempt or 0)
         if self.state is ConnectionStates.DISCONNECTED:
             return max(self._reconnect_backoff - time_waited, 0) * 1000
         elif self.connecting():
-            return 0
+            return self.config['connecting_delay_ms']
         else:
             return float('inf')
 
diff --git a/test/test_conn.py b/test/test_conn.py
index 6412cb6a6..7abfec5c2 100644
--- a/test/test_conn.py
+++ b/test/test_conn.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def test_connection_delay(conn):
         conn.last_attempt = 1000
         assert conn.connection_delay() == conn.config['reconnect_backoff_ms']
         conn.state = ConnectionStates.CONNECTING
-        assert conn.connection_delay() == 0
+        assert conn.connection_delay() == 100
         conn.state = ConnectionStates.CONNECTED
         assert conn.connection_delay() == float('inf')