diff --git a/pulsar-functions/instance/src/main/python/python_instance.py b/pulsar-functions/instance/src/main/python/python_instance.py
index 61322049f2128..672134c0689cc 100755
--- a/pulsar-functions/instance/src/main/python/python_instance.py
+++ b/pulsar-functions/instance/src/main/python/python_instance.py
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ def run(self):
     elif self.instance_config.function_details.retainKeyOrdering:
       mode = pulsar._pulsar.ConsumerType.KeyShared
 
+    nack_args = self.get_negative_ack_args()
+
     position = pulsar._pulsar.InitialPosition.Latest
     if self.instance_config.function_details.source.subscriptionPosition == Function_pb2.SubscriptionPosition.Value("EARLIEST"):
       position = pulsar._pulsar.InitialPosition.Earliest
@@ -181,7 +183,8 @@ def run(self):
         message_listener=partial(self.message_listener, self.input_serdes[topic], DEFAULT_SCHEMA),
         unacked_messages_timeout_ms=int(self.timeout_ms) if self.timeout_ms else None,
         initial_position=position,
-        properties=properties
+        properties=properties,
+        **nack_args
       )
 
     for topic, consumer_conf in self.instance_config.function_details.source.inputSpecs.items():
@@ -207,6 +210,7 @@ def run(self):
         "properties": properties,
         "crypto_key_reader": crypto_key_reader
       }
+      consumer_args.update(nack_args)
       if consumer_conf.HasField("receiverQueueSize"):
         consumer_args["receiver_queue_size"] = consumer_conf.receiverQueueSize.value
 
@@ -578,6 +582,26 @@ def get_record_class(self, class_name):
         except:
           pass
       return record_kclass
+  def get_negative_ack_args(self):
+    """Build the negative-ack redelivery delay argument for Client.subscribe().
+
+    Returns a dict to splat into the subscribe() call: either empty, or carrying
+    negative_ack_redelivery_delay_ms.
+
+    SourceSpec.negativeAckRedeliveryDelayMs is a proto3 scalar with no presence, so an unset field
+    reads as 0. Only a positive value is forwarded, leaving the client default (60s) in place
+    otherwise - the same guard the Java runtime applies in JavaInstanceRunnable.
+
+    The argument is omitted rather than passed as None because subscribe() validates it with
+    _check_type(int, ...) rather than _check_type_or_none, so None would fail for every function
+    that does not configure it.
+    """
+    delay_ms = self.instance_config.function_details.source.negativeAckRedeliveryDelayMs
+    if delay_ms <= 0:
+      return {}
+
+    return {"negative_ack_redelivery_delay_ms": delay_ms}
+
   def get_crypto_reader(self, crypto_spec):
     crypto_key_reader = None
     if crypto_spec is not None:
diff --git a/pulsar-functions/instance/src/test/python/test_python_instance.py b/pulsar-functions/instance/src/test/python/test_python_instance.py
index 3b20ac4b54563..8667f13964b04 100644
--- a/pulsar-functions/instance/src/test/python/test_python_instance.py
+++ b/pulsar-functions/instance/src/test/python/test_python_instance.py
@@ -360,3 +360,39 @@ def test_batch_builder_reaches_the_producer(self):
     function_details.sink.producerSpec.batchBuilder = "KEY_BASED"
     kwargs = self._create_producer_kwargs(function_details)
     self.assertEqual(kwargs["batching_type"], pulsar.BatchingType.KeyBased)
+
+class TestNegativeAckRedeliveryDelay(unittest.TestCase):
+  """Covers SourceSpec.negativeAckRedeliveryDelayMs reaching the consumer.
+
+  The runtime negatively acknowledges on failure but never configured the delay, so the client
+  default of 60s always applied. The Java runtime guards on > 0 in JavaInstanceRunnable.
+  """
+
+  def _instance(self, delay_ms=None):
+    function_details = Function_pb2.FunctionDetails()
+    function_details.sink.topic = "test_sink_topic"
+    if delay_ms is not None:
+      function_details.source.negativeAckRedeliveryDelayMs = delay_ms
+
+    return PythonInstance('test_instance', 'test_func', '1.0', function_details, 100, 30,
+                          'user_code', Mock(), Mock(), 'test_cluster', 'test_url', None)
+
+  def test_positive_delay_is_forwarded(self):
+    args = self._instance(delay_ms=5000).get_negative_ack_args()
+    self.assertEqual({"negative_ack_redelivery_delay_ms": 5000}, args)
+
+  def test_unset_delay_is_omitted(self):
+    # proto3 scalar with no presence: unset reads as 0. The argument must be omitted rather than
+    # sent - subscribe() validates it with _check_type(int), so None would fail for every function
+    # that does not set it, and 0 would mean immediate redelivery instead of the 60s default.
+    self.assertEqual({}, self._instance().get_negative_ack_args())
+
+  def test_explicit_zero_is_omitted(self):
+    self.assertEqual({}, self._instance(delay_ms=0).get_negative_ack_args())
+
+  def test_result_is_splattable_into_subscribe_kwargs(self):
+    # The value is consumed via **nack_args and consumer_args.update(...), so it must be a dict
+    # with exactly the keyword subscribe() expects.
+    args = self._instance(delay_ms=250).get_negative_ack_args()
+    self.assertIsInstance(args, dict)
+    self.assertEqual(["negative_ack_redelivery_delay_ms"], list(args.keys()))