diff --git a/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp b/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
index 4765a1a05..c8f65c2ff 100644
--- a/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
+++ b/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@
 #    (optional) Adds a retention policy when purging the shadow tables
 #    Defaults to undef.
 #
-
+#  [*sleep*]
+#    (optional) The amount of time in seconds to sleep between batches when
+#    until_complete is used
+#    Defaults to undef.
+#
 class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   $minute         = 1,
   $hour           = 0,
@@ -95,6 +99,7 @@ class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   $all_cells      = false,
   $task_log       = false,
   $age            = undef,
+  $sleep          = undef,
 ) {
 
   include nova::deps
@@ -129,9 +134,9 @@ class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   }
 
   if $maxdelay == 0 {
-    $sleep = ''
+    $delay_cmd = ''
   } else {
-    $sleep = "sleep `expr \${RANDOM} \\% ${maxdelay}`; "
+    $delay_cmd = "sleep `expr \${RANDOM} \\% ${maxdelay}`; "
   }
 
   if $age {
@@ -140,10 +145,16 @@ class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
     $age_real = ''
   }
 
+  if $sleep != undef {
+    $sleep_real = " --sleep ${sleep}"
+  } else {
+    $sleep_real = ''
+  }
+
   $cron_cmd = 'nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows'
 
   cron { 'nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows':
-    command     => "${sleep}${cron_cmd}${purge_real} --max_rows ${max_rows}${age_real}${until_complete_real}${all_cells_real}${task_log_real} \
+    command     => "${delay_cmd}${cron_cmd}${purge_real} --max_rows ${max_rows}${age_real}${until_complete_real}${all_cells_real}${task_log_real}${sleep_real} \
 >>${destination} 2>&1",
     environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
     user        => pick($user, $::nova::params::nova_user),
diff --git a/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp b/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
index 858eaed62..49c8efad7 100644
--- a/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
+++ b/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
@@ -93,15 +93,15 @@ class nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables (
   }
 
   if $maxdelay == 0 {
-    $sleep = ''
+    $delay_cmd = ''
   } else {
-    $sleep = "sleep `expr \${RANDOM} \\% ${maxdelay}`; "
+    $delay_cmd = "sleep `expr \${RANDOM} \\% ${maxdelay}`; "
   }
 
   $cron_cmd = 'nova-manage db purge'
 
   cron { 'nova-manage db purge':
-    command     => "${sleep}${cron_cmd} --before `date --date='today - ${age} days' +\\%D`${verbose_real}${all_cells_real} \
+    command     => "${delay_cmd}${cron_cmd} --before `date --date='today - ${age} days' +\\%D`${verbose_real}${all_cells_real} \
 >>${destination} 2>&1",
     environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
     user        => pick($user, $::nova::params::nova_user),
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/archive-sleep-c3de94ddd2066c01.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/archive-sleep-c3de94ddd2066c01.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6710bd6fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/archive-sleep-c3de94ddd2066c01.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The new ``nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows::sleep`` parameter has been
+    added.
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
index e98b56d6c..005c6976a 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
@@ -191,6 +191,28 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
       end
     end
 
+    context 'until_complete enabled and sleep set' do
+      before :each do
+        params.merge!(
+          :until_complete => true,
+          :sleep          => 5,
+        )
+      end
+
+      it 'configures a cron with --before' do
+        is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --until-complete --sleep #{params[:sleep]} >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
+          :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
+          :user        => params[:user],
+          :minute      => params[:minute],
+          :hour        => params[:hour],
+          :monthday    => params[:monthday],
+          :month       => params[:month],
+          :weekday     => params[:weekday],
+          :require     => 'Anchor[nova::dbsync::end]',
+        )
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   on_supported_os({