diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/MuWireSettings.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/MuWireSettings.groovy
index 5ff0e51c..b4546a48 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/MuWireSettings.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/MuWireSettings.groovy
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class MuWireSettings {
     Set<String> watchedDirectories
     float downloadSequentialRatio
     int hostClearInterval
+    int meshExpiration
     
 	MuWireSettings() {
         this(new Properties())
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ class MuWireSettings {
         shareDownloadedFiles = Boolean.parseBoolean(props.getProperty("shareDownloadedFiles","true"))
         downloadSequentialRatio = Float.valueOf(props.getProperty("downloadSequentialRatio","0.8"))
         hostClearInterval = Integer.valueOf(props.getProperty("hostClearInterval","60"))
+        meshExpiration = Integer.valueOf(props.getProperty("meshExpiration","60"))
         
         watchedDirectories = new HashSet<>()
         if (props.containsKey("watchedDirectories")) {
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@ class MuWireSettings {
         props.setProperty("shareDownloadedFiles", String.valueOf(shareDownloadedFiles))
         props.setProperty("downloadSequentialRatio", String.valueOf(downloadSequentialRatio))
         props.setProperty("hostClearInterval", String.valueOf(hostClearInterval))
+        props.setProperty("meshExpiration", String.valueOf(meshExpiration))
         
         if (!watchedDirectories.isEmpty()) {
             String encoded = watchedDirectories.stream().
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/mesh/MeshManager.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/mesh/MeshManager.groovy
index 034a0905..474b0357 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/mesh/MeshManager.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/mesh/MeshManager.groovy
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ import net.i2p.data.Base64
 
 class MeshManager {
     
-    private static final int EXPIRATION = 60 * 60 * 1000
-    
     private final Map<InfoHash, Mesh> meshes = Collections.synchronizedMap(new HashMap<>())
     private final FileManager fileManager
     private final File home
@@ -83,7 +81,7 @@ class MeshManager {
         JsonSlurper slurper = new JsonSlurper()
         meshFile.eachLine { 
             def json = slurper.parseText(it)
-            if (now - json.timestamp > EXPIRATION)
+            if (now - json.timestamp > settings.meshExpiration * 60 * 1000)
                 return
             InfoHash infoHash = new InfoHash(Base64.decode(json.infoHash))
             Pieces pieces = new Pieces(json.nPieces, settings.downloadSequentialRatio)