diff --git a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
index 27f7a264e7b04d70cd8164871004ab26b0a75d85..697488597af545b3ef38714814d7ba5695108e72 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ quiet: true #!final
 show_channel_urls: true #!final
 anaconda_upload: false #!final
 ssl_verify: false #!final
+remote_connect_timeout_secs: 120.0 #!final
+remote_max_retries: 50 #!final
+remote_read_timeout_secs: 180.0 #!final
 channels:
   - defaults
 '''
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
index f9e50e66fe1b144a4aed76588b0f5a68735d7528..1c707d26c518a52105115046e6a3e88fd51eb2e6 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ def create(name, recipe_dir, python, overwrite, condarc, use_local, config,
 
   conda_config = make_conda_config(config, python, append_file, condarc_options)
   deps = parse_dependencies(recipe_dir, conda_config)
+  # when creating a local development environment, remove the always_yes option
+  del condarc_options["always_yes"]
   status = conda_create(conda, name, overwrite, condarc_options, deps,
       dry_run, use_local)
   echo_normal('Execute on your shell: "conda activate %s"' % name)