diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 178ec475c6..a64f28606e 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ jobs:
     resource_class: large
     steps:
       - pre-steps
-      - run: ulimit -S -n `ulimit -H -n` && make V=1 -j8 CRASH_TEST_EXT_ARGS=--duration=960 blackbox_crash_test_with_atomic_flush
+      - run: ulimit -S -n `ulimit -H -n` && make V=1 -j8 CRASH_TEST_EXT_ARGS='--duration=960 --max_key=2500000' blackbox_crash_test_with_atomic_flush
       - post-steps
 
   build-linux-crashtest-tiered-storage-bb: