diff --git a/platform/external-system-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/ExternalSystemProjectAware.kt b/platform/external-system-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/ExternalSystemProjectAware.kt
index 0efae8cfd634..ee205717d7c6 100644
--- a/platform/external-system-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/ExternalSystemProjectAware.kt
+++ b/platform/external-system-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/ExternalSystemProjectAware.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.Disposable
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.autoimport.ExternalSystemSettingsFilesModificationContext.Event
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.autoimport.ExternalSystemSettingsFilesModificationContext.ReloadStatus
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.ApiStatus
+import kotlin.time.Duration
 
 interface ExternalSystemProjectAware {
 
@@ -21,6 +22,21 @@ interface ExternalSystemProjectAware {
 
   fun reloadProject(context: ExternalSystemProjectReloadContext)
 
+  /**
+   * Internal. Please see implementation limitations.
+   *
+   * This property defines a delay for the "smart" project sync request.
+   * Usually, the "smart" sync is requested after changes in the [settingsFiles].
+   *
+   * Note: All external systems sync events are dispatched and merged by the same [com.intellij.util.ui.update.MergingUpdateQueue].
+   * Therefore, this value can be overridden by the greater [smartProjectReloadDelay].
+   * For example, between default (3 seconds) and zero delays will be chosen the default delay.
+   *
+   * A null value means default [smartProjectReloadDelay] that is equals to 3 seconds.
+   */
+  @get:ApiStatus.Internal
+  val smartProjectReloadDelay: Duration? get() = null
+
   /**
    * Experimental. Please see implementation limitations.
    *
diff --git a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/AutoImportProjectTracker.kt b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/AutoImportProjectTracker.kt
index 7d3a6a0bc25e..074848bbca93 100644
--- a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/AutoImportProjectTracker.kt
+++ b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/autoimport/AutoImportProjectTracker.kt
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ import java.util.*
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference
 import kotlin.streams.asStream
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.milliseconds
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.seconds
+
+private val MERGING_TIME_SPAN = 300.milliseconds
+private val MERGING_TIME_SPAN_MS = MERGING_TIME_SPAN.inWholeMilliseconds
+
+private val DEFAULT_SMART_PROJECT_RELOAD_DELAY = 3.seconds
 
 @ApiStatus.Internal
 @State(name = "ExternalSystemProjectTracker", storages = [Storage(CACHE_FILE)])
@@ -60,7 +67,7 @@ class AutoImportProjectTracker(
   private val projectChangeOperation = AtomicOperationTrace(name = "Project change operation")
   private val projectReloadOperation = AtomicOperationTrace(name = "Project reload operation")
   private val isProjectLookupActivateProperty = AtomicBooleanProperty(false)
-  private val dispatcher = MergingUpdateQueue("AutoImportProjectTracker.dispatcher", 300, true, null, serviceDisposable)
+  private val dispatcher = MergingUpdateQueue("AutoImportProjectTracker.dispatcher", MERGING_TIME_SPAN_MS.toInt(), true, null, serviceDisposable)
   private val backgroundExecutor = AppExecutorUtil.createBoundedApplicationPoolExecutor("AutoImportProjectTracker.backgroundExecutor", 1)
 
   private fun createProjectChangesListener() =
@@ -103,17 +110,20 @@ class AutoImportProjectTracker(
     schedule(priority = 1, dispatchIterations = 1) { processChanges() }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * ```
-   * dispatcher.mergingTimeSpan = 300 ms
-   * dispatchIterations = 9
-   * We already dispatched processChanges
-   * So delay is equal to (1 + 9) * 300 ms = 3000 ms = 3 s
-   * ```
-   */
   private fun scheduleDelayedSmartProjectReload() {
     LOG.debug("Schedule delayed project reload")
-    schedule(priority = 2, dispatchIterations = 9) { reloadProject(explicitReload = false) }
+
+    // See AutoImportProjectTracker.scheduleChangeProcessing for details
+    val smartProjectReloadDelay = projectDataMap.values.maxOfOrNull {
+      it.projectAware.smartProjectReloadDelay ?: DEFAULT_SMART_PROJECT_RELOAD_DELAY
+    } ?: DEFAULT_SMART_PROJECT_RELOAD_DELAY
+    // We already dispatched processChanges with the MERGING_TIME_SPAN delay
+    // See AutoImportProjectTracker.scheduleChangeProcessing for details
+    val smartProjectReloadDispatcherIterations = ((smartProjectReloadDelay - MERGING_TIME_SPAN) / MERGING_TIME_SPAN).toInt()
+    // smartProjectReloadDispatcherIterations can be negative if smartProjectReloadDelay is less than MERGING_TIME_SPAN
+    val dispatchIterations = maxOf(smartProjectReloadDispatcherIterations, 1)
+
+    schedule(priority = 2, dispatchIterations = dispatchIterations) { reloadProject(explicitReload = false) }
   }
 
   private val currentActivity = AtomicReference<ProjectInitializationDiagnosticService.ActivityTracker?>()