diff --git a/src/evdev-mt-touchpad-tap.c b/src/evdev-mt-touchpad-tap.c
index cb4abf24..b65bac4f 100644
--- a/src/evdev-mt-touchpad-tap.c
+++ b/src/evdev-mt-touchpad-tap.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 #include "evdev-mt-touchpad.h"
 
+#define DEFAULT_TAP_INITIAL_TIMEOUT_PERIOD ms2us(100)
 #define DEFAULT_TAP_TIMEOUT_PERIOD ms2us(180)
 #define DEFAULT_DRAG_TIMEOUT_PERIOD ms2us(300)
 #define DEFAULT_TAP_MOVE_THRESHOLD TP_MM_TO_DPI_NORMALIZED(3)
@@ -126,6 +127,13 @@ tp_tap_notify(struct tp_dispatch *tp,
 				    state);
 }
 
+static void
+tp_tap_set_initial_timer(struct tp_dispatch *tp, uint64_t time)
+{
+	libinput_timer_set(&tp->tap.timer,
+			   time + DEFAULT_TAP_INITIAL_TIMEOUT_PERIOD);
+}
+
 static void
 tp_tap_set_timer(struct tp_dispatch *tp, uint64_t time)
 {
@@ -155,7 +163,7 @@ tp_tap_idle_handle_event(struct tp_dispatch *tp,
 	case TAP_EVENT_TOUCH:
 		tp->tap.state = TAP_STATE_TOUCH;
 		tp->tap.first_press_time = time;
-		tp_tap_set_timer(tp, time);
+		tp_tap_set_initial_timer(tp, time);
 		break;
 	case TAP_EVENT_RELEASE:
 		break;