diff --git a/librepomgr/buildactions/buildaction.cpp b/librepomgr/buildactions/buildaction.cpp
index 048ec38..1be55d9 100644
--- a/librepomgr/buildactions/buildaction.cpp
+++ b/librepomgr/buildactions/buildaction.cpp
@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ void BuildServiceCleanup::run()
 
     // get variables from setup
     auto setupLock = m_setup.lockToRead();
+    m_buildActionRetention = m_setup.building.buildActionRetention;
     m_paccachePath = findExecutable(m_setup.building.paccachePath);
     const auto packageCachePath = m_setup.building.packageCacheDir;
     setupLock.unlock();
@@ -506,7 +507,7 @@ void BuildServiceCleanup::run()
     auto deleted = std::size_t();
     constexpr auto stopAt = 150;
     m_setup.building.forEachBuildAction(
-        [this, &count, &deleted, twoWeeksAgo = DateTime::gmtNow() - TimeSpan::fromDays(14)](
+        [this, &count, &deleted, expirationDate = DateTime::gmtNow() - m_buildActionRetention](
             LibPkg::StorageID id, BuildAction &action, ServiceSetup::BuildSetup::VisitorBehavior &visitorBehavior) {
             if (count <= stopAt) {
                 return true; // abort deletion if under 150 build actions anyways
@@ -514,8 +515,9 @@ void BuildServiceCleanup::run()
             if (m_buildAction->id == id || action.finished.isNull()) {
                 return false; // avoid deleting cleanup action itself as well as any unfinished actions
             }
-            if (action.result != BuildActionResult::Success || action.finished > twoWeeksAgo) {
-                return false; // delete only successful actions that are at least two weeks old
+            if (action.result != BuildActionResult::Success
+                || (action.finished > expirationDate && action.type != BuildActionType::BuildServiceCleanup)) {
+                return false; // delete only successful actions that have expired (unless it is just a cleanup action itself)
             }
             visitorBehavior = ServiceSetup::BuildSetup::VisitorBehavior::Delete;
             ++deleted;
diff --git a/librepomgr/buildactions/buildactionprivate.h b/librepomgr/buildactions/buildactionprivate.h
index c73b38c..84f4a4b 100644
--- a/librepomgr/buildactions/buildactionprivate.h
+++ b/librepomgr/buildactions/buildactionprivate.h
@@ -695,6 +695,7 @@ private:
     std::vector<std::pair<std::string, boost::filesystem::path>> m_concreteCacheDirs;
     std::vector<std::pair<std::string, boost::filesystem::path>>::iterator m_concreteCacheDirsIterator;
     BuildActionMessages m_messages;
+    CppUtilities::TimeSpan m_buildActionRetention;
     bool m_dryCacheCleanup;
     bool m_dbCleanupConcluded, m_cacheCleanupConcluded;
 };
diff --git a/librepomgr/helper.h b/librepomgr/helper.h
index 31042e0..17eb54d 100644
--- a/librepomgr/helper.h
+++ b/librepomgr/helper.h
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef LIBREPOMGR_HELPER_H
 #define LIBREPOMGR_HELPER_H
 
+#include <c++utilities/chrono/timespan.h>
+#include <c++utilities/conversion/conversionexception.h>
 #include <c++utilities/conversion/stringconversion.h>
 #include <c++utilities/io/ansiescapecodes.h>
 #include <c++utilities/misc/traits.h>
@@ -63,7 +65,6 @@ inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::string> &multimap
 template <typename TargetType, Traits::EnableIfAny<std::is_integral<TargetType>, Traits::IsSpecializationOf<TargetType, std::atomic>> * = nullptr>
 inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::string> &multimap, const std::string &key, TargetType &result)
 {
-    using namespace std;
     using namespace CppUtilities;
     using namespace CppUtilities::EscapeCodes;
 
@@ -75,8 +76,7 @@ inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::string> &multimap
                 result = stringToNumber<TargetType>(value);
             }
         } catch (const ConversionException &) {
-            cerr << Phrases::ErrorMessage << "Specified number \"" << value << "\" for key \"" << key << "\" is invalid." << Phrases::End;
-            return;
+            std::cerr << Phrases::ErrorMessage << "Specified number \"" << value << "\" for key \"" << key << "\" is invalid." << Phrases::End;
         }
     }
 }
@@ -90,16 +90,14 @@ template <> inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::strin
 
 template <> inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::string> &multimap, const std::string &key, std::regex &result)
 {
-    using namespace std;
     using namespace CppUtilities::EscapeCodes;
 
     if (const char *const value = getLastValue(multimap, key)) {
         try {
             result = value;
-        } catch (const regex_error &e) {
-            cerr << Phrases::ErrorMessage << "Specified regex \"" << value << "\" for key \"" << key << "\" is invalid: " << Phrases::End;
-            cerr << e.what() << '\n';
-            return;
+        } catch (const std::regex_error &e) {
+            std::cerr << Phrases::ErrorMessage << "Specified regex \"" << value << "\" for key \"" << key << "\" is invalid: " << Phrases::End;
+            std::cerr << e.what() << '\n';
         }
     }
 }
@@ -119,6 +117,20 @@ template <> inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::strin
     }
 }
 
+template <> inline void convertValue(const std::multimap<std::string, std::string> &multimap, const std::string &key, CppUtilities::TimeSpan &result)
+{
+    using namespace CppUtilities::EscapeCodes;
+
+    if (const char *const value = getLastValue(multimap, key)) {
+        try {
+            result = CppUtilities::TimeSpan::fromString(value);
+        } catch (const CppUtilities::ConversionException &e) {
+            std::cerr << Phrases::ErrorMessage << "Specified duration \"" << value << "\" for key \"" << key << "\" is invalid: " << Phrases::End;
+            std::cerr << e.what() << '\n';
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 template <typename VectorType> void mergeSecondVectorIntoFirstVector(VectorType &firstVector, VectorType &secondVector)
 {
     const auto requiredSize = firstVector.size() + secondVector.size();
diff --git a/librepomgr/serversetup.cpp b/librepomgr/serversetup.cpp
index c7a69af..cc65e6e 100644
--- a/librepomgr/serversetup.cpp
+++ b/librepomgr/serversetup.cpp
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ void ServiceSetup::BuildSetup::applyConfig(const std::multimap<std::string, std:
     convertValue(multimap, "package_cache_dir", packageCacheDir);
     convertValue(multimap, "package_download_size_limit", packageDownloadSizeLimit);
     convertValue(multimap, "test_files_dir", testFilesDir);
+    convertValue(multimap, "build_action_retention", buildActionRetention);
     convertValue(multimap, "load_files_dbs", loadFilesDbs);
     convertValue(multimap, "db_path", dbPath);
 }
diff --git a/librepomgr/serversetup.h b/librepomgr/serversetup.h
index 8436dbe..ac4183e 100644
--- a/librepomgr/serversetup.h
+++ b/librepomgr/serversetup.h
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ struct LIBREPOMGR_EXPORT ServiceSetup : public LibPkg::Lockable {
         std::uint64_t packageDownloadSizeLimit = 500 * 1024 * 1024;
         std::string testFilesDir;
         BuildPresets presets;
+        CppUtilities::TimeSpan buildActionRetention = CppUtilities::TimeSpan::fromDays(14);
         bool loadFilesDbs = false;
         bool forceLoadingDbs = false;