diff --git a/mrq/config.py b/mrq/config.py
index c0401852..fc7f6444 100644
--- a/mrq/config.py
+++ b/mrq/config.py
@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@ def add_parser_args(parser, config_type):
         type=str,
         help='Adds random latency to the network calls, zero to N seconds. Can be a range (1-2)')
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--default_job_ttl',
+        default=180 * 24 * 3600,
+        action='store',
+        type=float,
+        help='Seconds the tasks are kept in MongoDB when statuses are not success, abort, cancel and started')
+
     parser.add_argument(
         '--default_job_result_ttl',
         default=7 * 24 * 3600,
diff --git a/mrq/job.py b/mrq/job.py
index c25d6da7..849a5149 100644
--- a/mrq/job.py
+++ b/mrq/job.py
@@ -102,11 +102,10 @@ def fetch(self, start=False, full_data=True):
                 "path": 1,
                 "params": 1,
                 "status": 1,
-                "retry_count": 1
+                "retry_count": 1,
             }
 
         if start:
-
             self.datestarted = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
             self.set_data(self.collection.find_and_modify(
                 {
@@ -117,6 +116,9 @@ def fetch(self, start=False, full_data=True):
                     "status": "started",
                     "datestarted": self.datestarted,
                     "worker": self.worker.id
+                },
+                "$unset": {
+                    "dateexpires": 1 # we don't want started jobs to expire unexpectedly
                 }},
                 projection=fields)
             )
@@ -153,7 +155,8 @@ def set_data(self, data):
             task_def = self.get_task_config()
 
             self.timeout = task_def.get("timeout", cfg["default_job_timeout"])
-            self.result_ttl = task_def.get("result_ttl", cfg["default_job_result_ttl"])
+            self.default_ttl = task_def.get("default_ttl", cfg["default_job_ttl"])
+            self.result_ttl = task_def.get("result_ttl", cfg["default_job_result_ttl"]) # success ttl
             self.abort_ttl = task_def.get("abort_ttl", cfg["default_job_abort_ttl"])
             self.cancel_ttl = task_def.get("cancel_ttl", cfg["default_job_cancel_ttl"])
             self.max_retries = task_def.get("max_retries", cfg["default_job_max_retries"])
@@ -448,6 +451,11 @@ def _save_status(self, status, updates=None, exception=False, w=None, j=None):
             "status": status,
             "dateupdated": now
         }
+
+        # we don't want started jobs to expire unexpectedly
+        if status not in ["started", "success", "abort", "cancel"] and self.default_ttl is not None:
+            db_updates["dateexpires"] = (self.data.get("datequeued") or now) + datetime.timedelta(days=self.default_ttl)
+
         db_updates.update(updates or {})
 
         if self.datestarted:
diff --git a/mrq/queue_regular.py b/mrq/queue_regular.py
index a0e4a3f6..5fe6b085 100644
--- a/mrq/queue_regular.py
+++ b/mrq/queue_regular.py
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ def dequeue_jobs(self, max_jobs=1, job_class=None, worker=None):
                     "status": "started",
                     "datestarted": datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
                     "worker": worker.id if worker else None
+                }, "$unset": {
+                    "dateexpires": 1 # we don't want started jobs to expire unexpectedly
                 }},
                 sort=sort_order,
                 return_document=ReturnDocument.AFTER,
@@ -101,7 +103,8 @@ def dequeue_jobs(self, max_jobs=1, job_class=None, worker=None):
                     "params": 1,
                     "status": 1,
                     "retry_count": 1,
-                    "queue": 1
+                    "queue": 1,
+                    "datequeued": 1
                 }
             )
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config-scheduler8.py b/tests/fixtures/config-scheduler8.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..acb28334
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config-scheduler8.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+NAME = "testworker"
+
+TASKS = {
+    "tests.tasks.general.Retry": {
+        "default_ttl": 2,
+        "queue": "tests"
+    }
+}
+
+QUEUES = ["high", "default", "low", "tests"]
diff --git a/tests/test_retry.py b/tests/test_retry.py
index ddbbe686..b945c8b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_retry.py
+++ b/tests/test_retry.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 
 def test_retry(worker):
+    worker.start(flags="--config tests/fixtures/config-scheduler8.py")
 
     job_id = worker.send_task(
         "tests.tasks.general.Retry", {"queue": "noexec", "delay": 60}, block=False)
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ def test_retry(worker):
     assert job_data["queue"] == "noexec"
     assert job_data["status"] == "retry"
     assert job_data["dateretry"] > datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+    assert datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(days=1) < job_data["dateexpires"] < datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(days=3)
     assert job_data.get("result") is None