diff --git a/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/config/ShiftsParams.java b/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/config/ShiftsParams.java
index d51712bd996..2f7944d5b9d 100644
--- a/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/config/ShiftsParams.java
+++ b/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/config/ShiftsParams.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 import org.matsim.core.config.ConfigGroup;
 
 import java.net.URL;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
  * @author nkuehnel / MOIA
@@ -30,6 +29,10 @@ public class ShiftsParams extends ReflectiveConfigGroupWithConfigurableParameter
 	@Comment("changeover duration in [seconds]")
 	public double changeoverDuration = 900;
 
+	@Parameter
+	@Comment("maximum delay of shift assignment after start time has passed in [seconds]. If a shift can not be assigned to a vehicle until the planned start of the shift plus the defined max delay, the shift is discarded. Defaults to 0")
+	public double maxUnscheduledShiftDelay = 0;
+
 	@Parameter
 	@Comment("Time of shift assignment (i.e. which vehicle carries out a specific shift) before start of shift in [seconds]")
 	public double shiftScheduleLookAhead = 1800;
diff --git a/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/dispatcher/DrtShiftDispatcherImpl.java b/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/dispatcher/DrtShiftDispatcherImpl.java
index 12545d7a675..4c070bc1ebf 100644
--- a/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/dispatcher/DrtShiftDispatcherImpl.java
+++ b/contribs/drt-extensions/src/main/java/org/matsim/contrib/drt/extension/operations/shifts/dispatcher/DrtShiftDispatcherImpl.java
@@ -177,7 +177,13 @@ private void startShifts(double timeStep) {
 
     private void assignShifts(double timeStep) {
         // Remove elapsed shifts
-        unscheduledShifts.removeIf(shift -> shift.getStartTime() < timeStep);
+        unscheduledShifts.removeIf(shift -> {
+			if (shift.getStartTime() + drtShiftParams.maxUnscheduledShiftDelay < timeStep ) {
+				logger.warn("Shift with ID " + shift.getId() + " could not be assigned and is being removed as start time is longer in the past than defined by maxUnscheduledShiftDelay.");
+				return true;
+			}
+		return false;
+		});
 
         // Assign shifts
         Set<DrtShift> assignableShifts = new LinkedHashSet<>();