diff --git a/include/econfig-spec.h b/include/econfig-spec.h
index 9a1305c6..565fa687 100644
--- a/include/econfig-spec.h
+++ b/include/econfig-spec.h
@@ -384,13 +384,13 @@ EMPCFBOTH("trade_ally_cut", trade_ally_cut, float, NSC_FLOAT, 0,
 
 EMPCF_COMMENT("\n\n### Miscellaneous")
 EMPCFBOTH("disabled_commands", disabled_commands, char *, NSC_STRING, KM_INTERNAL,
-	  "Disabled commands, separated by space")
+    "Disabled commands, separated by space")
 EMPCFBOTH("anno_keep_days", anno_keep_days, int, NSC_INT, KM_INTERNAL,
-	  "How long until announcements expire (<0 means never)")
+    "How long until announcements expire (<0 means never)")
 EMPCFBOTH("news_keep_days", news_keep_days, int, NSC_INT, KM_INTERNAL,
-	  "How long until news expire")
-EMPCFBOTH("lost_items_timeout", lost_items_timeout, int, NSC_INT, KM_INTERNAL,
-    "Seconds before a lost item is timed out of the database")
+    "How long until news expire")
+EMPCFBOTH("lost_keep_hours", lost_keep_hours, int, NSC_INT, KM_INTERNAL,
+    "How long until lost items expire")
 
 /* Sentinel */
 EMPCFONLYC(NULL, emp_config_dummy, NULL, NSC_NOTYPE, 0, NULL)
diff --git a/src/lib/global/constants.c b/src/lib/global/constants.c
index b42db330..e86aa275 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/constants.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/constants.c
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ int sect_mob_neg_factor = 2;	/* ETU/neg_factor = negative amount of mobility
 				   a sector has after being taken */
 
 int anno_keep_days = 7;		/* How long until annos expire (<0 never) */
-int news_keep_days = 10;	/* How long until news expire (<0 never) */
-int lost_items_timeout = 172800;	/* How long before removing from database */
+int news_keep_days = 10;	/* How long until news expire */
+int lost_keep_hours = 48;	/* How long until lost items expire */
 
 double combat_mob = 5.0;	/* how much mob do units spend for combat? */
 
diff --git a/src/server/lostitem.c b/src/server/lostitem.c
index b3667cc3..42cc4808 100644
--- a/src/server/lostitem.c
+++ b/src/server/lostitem.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ delete_lostitems(void *unused)
 	for (n = 0; getlost(n, &lost); n++) {
 	    if (!lost.lost_owner)
 		continue;
-	    if (lost.lost_timestamp > (now - lost_items_timeout))
+	    if (lost.lost_timestamp > (now - hours(lost_keep_hours)))
 		continue;
 	    lost.lost_owner = 0;
 	    putlost(n, &lost);