diff --git a/migrations/20180813045043-settings-set-default-intervalSecs.js b/migrations/20180813045043-settings-set-default-intervalSecs.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c4239e254
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20180813045043-settings-set-default-intervalSecs.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+'use strict';
+
+exports.up = function(db, callback) {
+    db.all('SELECT value FROM settings WHERE name="backup_config"', function (error, results) {
+        if (error || results.length === 0) return callback(error);
+
+        var backupConfig = JSON.parse(results[0].value);
+        backupConfig.intervalSecs = 24 * 60 * 60;
+        db.runSql('UPDATE settings SET value=? WHERE name="backup_config"', [ JSON.stringify(backupConfig) ], callback);
+
+    });
+};
+
+exports.down = function(db, callback) {
+  callback();
+};
diff --git a/src/backups.js b/src/backups.js
index 78e39d5a2..e5002e503 100644
--- a/src/backups.js
+++ b/src/backups.js
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ function testConfig(backupConfig, callback) {
 
     if (backupConfig.format !== 'tgz' && backupConfig.format !== 'rsync') return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'unknown format'));
 
+    if (backupConfig.intervalSecs < 6 * 60 * 60) return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'Interval must be atleast 6 hours'));
+
     api(backupConfig.provider).testConfig(backupConfig, callback);
 }
 
@@ -984,12 +986,16 @@ function ensureBackup(auditSource, callback) {
             return callback(error); // no point trying to backup if appstore is down
         }
 
-        if (backups.length !== 0 && (new Date() - new Date(backups[0].creationTime) < 23 * 60 * 60 * 1000)) { // ~1 day ago
-            debug('Previous backup was %j, no need to backup now', backups[0]);
-            return callback(null);
-        }
+        settings.getBackupConfig(function (error, backupConfig) {
+            if (error) return callback(error);
 
-        backup(auditSource, callback);
+            if (backups.length !== 0 && (new Date() - new Date(backups[0].creationTime) < (backupConfig.intervalSecs - 3600) * 1000)) { // adjust 1 hour
+                debug('Previous backup was %j, no need to backup now', backups[0]);
+                return callback(null);
+            }
+
+            backup(auditSource, callback);
+        });
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/settings.js b/src/routes/settings.js
index 5e7bd3963..a464e7e02 100644
--- a/src/routes/settings.js
+++ b/src/routes/settings.js
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ function setBackupConfig(req, res, next) {
 
     if (typeof req.body.provider !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'provider is required'));
     if (typeof req.body.retentionSecs !== 'number') return next(new HttpError(400, 'retentionSecs is required'));
+    if (typeof req.body.intervalSecs !== 'number') return next(new HttpError(400, 'intervalSecs is required'));
     if ('key' in req.body && typeof req.body.key !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'key must be a string'));
     if ('syncConcurrency' in req.body) {
         if (typeof req.body.syncConcurrency !== 'number') return next(new HttpError(400, 'syncConcurrency must be a positive integer'));
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index 3055fc424..04e65ff05 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ var gDefaults = (function () {
         provider: 'filesystem',
         key: '',
         backupFolder: '/var/backups',
-        retentionSecs: 172800
+        retentionSecs: 2 * 24 * 60 * 60, // 2 days
+        intervalSecs: 24 * 60 * 60 // ~1 day
     };
     result[exports.UPDATE_CONFIG_KEY] = { prerelease: false };
     result[exports.APPSTORE_CONFIG_KEY] = {};