diff --git a/utils/frame/remote-externalities/src/lib.rs b/utils/frame/remote-externalities/src/lib.rs
index 761f3c8859046..d846b34a00973 100644
--- a/utils/frame/remote-externalities/src/lib.rs
+++ b/utils/frame/remote-externalities/src/lib.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub use sp_io::TestExternalities;
 use sp_runtime::{traits::Block as BlockT, StateVersion};
 use spinners::{Spinner, Spinners};
 use std::{
-	cmp::max,
+	cmp::{max, min},
 	fs,
 	ops::{Deref, DerefMut},
 	path::{Path, PathBuf},
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ where
 	const PARALLEL_REQUESTS: usize = 4;
 	const BATCH_SIZE_INCREASE_FACTOR: f32 = 1.10;
 	const BATCH_SIZE_DECREASE_FACTOR: f32 = 0.50;
-	const INITIAL_BATCH_SIZE: usize = 5000;
+	const REQUEST_DURATION_TARGET: Duration = Duration::from_secs(2);
+	const INITIAL_BATCH_SIZE: usize = 10;
 	// nodes by default will not return more than 1000 keys per request
 	const DEFAULT_KEY_DOWNLOAD_PAGE: u32 = 1000;
 	const KEYS_PAGE_MAX_RETRIES: usize = 12;
@@ -521,6 +522,7 @@ where
 				.insert(method, params.clone())
 				.map_err(|_| "Invalid batch method and/or params")?
 		}
+		let request_started = Instant::now();
 		let batch_response = match client.batch_request::<Option<StorageData>>(batch).await {
 			Ok(batch_response) => batch_response,
 			Err(e) => {
@@ -530,20 +532,39 @@ where
 
 				log::debug!(
 					target: LOG_TARGET,
-					"Batch request failed, trying again with smaller batch size. {}",
+					"Batch request failed, resetting batch size to 1. Error: {}",
 					e.to_string()
 				);
 
-				return Self::get_storage_data_dynamic_batch_size(
-					client,
-					payloads,
-					max(1, (batch_size as f32 * Self::BATCH_SIZE_DECREASE_FACTOR) as usize),
-					bar,
-				)
-				.await
+				// Request timed out or server errored. Try to get things moving again by starting
+				// again with just 1 item.
+				return Self::get_storage_data_dynamic_batch_size(client, payloads, 1, bar).await
 			},
 		};
 
+		// Request succeeded. Decide whether to increase or decrease the batch size for the next
+		// request, depending on if the elapsed time was greater than or less than the target.
+		let request_duration = request_started.elapsed();
+		let next_batch_size = if request_duration > Self::REQUEST_DURATION_TARGET {
+			max(1, (batch_size as f32 * Self::BATCH_SIZE_DECREASE_FACTOR) as usize)
+		} else {
+			// Increase the batch size by *at most* the number of remaining payloads
+			min(
+				payloads.len(),
+				// Increase the batch size by *at least* 1
+				max(
+					batch_size + 1,
+					(batch_size as f32 * Self::BATCH_SIZE_INCREASE_FACTOR) as usize,
+				),
+			)
+		};
+
+		log::debug!(
+			target: LOG_TARGET,
+			"Request duration: {:?} Target duration: {:?} Last batch size: {} Next batch size: {}",
+			request_duration, Self::REQUEST_DURATION_TARGET, batch_size, next_batch_size
+		);
+
 		// Collect the data from this batch
 		let mut data: Vec<Option<StorageData>> = vec![];
 		let batch_response_len = batch_response.len();
@@ -560,7 +581,7 @@ where
 		let mut rest = Self::get_storage_data_dynamic_batch_size(
 			client,
 			remaining_payloads,
-			max(batch_size + 1, (batch_size as f32 * Self::BATCH_SIZE_INCREASE_FACTOR) as usize),
+			next_batch_size,
 			bar,
 		)
 		.await?;
@@ -1345,7 +1366,7 @@ mod remote_tests {
 			.execute_with(|| {});
 	}
 
-	#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+	#[tokio::test]
 	async fn can_create_snapshot() {
 		const CACHE: &'static str = "can_create_snapshot";
 		init_logger();
@@ -1369,7 +1390,7 @@ mod remote_tests {
 			.filter(|p| p.path().file_name().unwrap_or_default() == CACHE)
 			.collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-		let snap: Snapshot<Block> = Builder::<Block>::new().load_snapshot(CACHE.into()).unwrap();
+		let snap: Snapshot<Block> = Snapshot::load(&PathBuf::from(CACHE)).unwrap();
 		assert!(matches!(snap, Snapshot { raw_storage, .. } if raw_storage.len() > 0));
 
 		assert!(to_delete.len() == 1);
@@ -1401,7 +1422,7 @@ mod remote_tests {
 			.filter(|p| p.path().file_name().unwrap_or_default() == CACHE)
 			.collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-		let snap: Snapshot<Block> = Builder::<Block>::new().load_snapshot(CACHE.into()).unwrap();
+		let snap: Snapshot<Block> = Snapshot::load(&PathBuf::from(CACHE)).unwrap();
 		assert!(matches!(snap, Snapshot { raw_storage, .. } if raw_storage.len() > 0));
 
 		assert!(to_delete.len() == 1);