diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/configparse.py b/r2/r2/lib/configparse.py
index 3c8374789..d0f607e05 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/configparse.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/configparse.py
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@
 # Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 ###############################################################################
 
-import datetime
 import re
 
+from r2.lib.utils import timeinterval_fromstr
+
 
 class ConfigValue(object):
     _bool_map = dict(true=True, false=False)
@@ -71,8 +72,8 @@ class ConfigValue(object):
         return (x.strip() for x in v.split(delim) if x)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def days(v, key=None, data=None):
-        return datetime.timedelta(int(v))
+    def timeinterval(v, key=None, data=None):
+        return timeinterval_fromstr(v)
 
     messages_re = re.compile(r'"([^"]+)"')
     @staticmethod