diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 95bf7db39..12ca23037 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/opencontainers/image-spec v1.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/oschwald/geoip2-golang v1.4.0
 	github.com/oschwald/maxminddb-golang v1.6.0
+	github.com/pkg/errors v0.8.1
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.5.1
 	github.com/prometheus/client_model v0.2.0
 	github.com/prometheus/common v0.9.1
diff --git a/pkg/database/commit.go b/pkg/database/commit.go
index 179eed01d..a2efbe982 100644
--- a/pkg/database/commit.go
+++ b/pkg/database/commit.go
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ import (
 
 func (c *Context) DeleteExpired() error {
 	//Delete the expired records
+	now := time.Now()
 	if c.flush {
-		retx := c.Db.Where(`strftime("%s", until) < strftime("%s", "now")`).Delete(types.BanApplication{})
+		//retx := c.Db.Where(`strftime("%s", until) < strftime("%s", "now")`).Delete(types.BanApplication{})
+		retx := c.Db.Delete(types.BanApplication{}, "until < ?", now)
 		if retx.RowsAffected > 0 {
 			log.Infof("Flushed %d expired entries from Ban Application", retx.RowsAffected)
 		}
@@ -96,8 +98,10 @@ func (c *Context) CleanUpRecordsByCount() error {
 	}
 
 	sos := []types.BanApplication{}
+	now := time.Now()
 	/*get soft deleted records oldest to youngest*/
-	records := c.Db.Unscoped().Table("ban_applications").Where("deleted_at is not NULL").Where(`strftime("%s", deleted_at) < strftime("%s", "now")`).Find(&sos)
+	//records := c.Db.Unscoped().Table("ban_applications").Where("deleted_at is not NULL").Where(`strftime("%s", deleted_at) < strftime("%s", "now")`).Find(&sos)
+	records := c.Db.Unscoped().Table("ban_applications").Where("deleted_at is not NULL").Where("deleted_at < ?", now).Find(&sos)
 	if records.Error != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(records.Error, "failed to list expired bans for flush")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/database/database.go b/pkg/database/database.go
index 1067cb338..8bca7bdc4 100644
--- a/pkg/database/database.go
+++ b/pkg/database/database.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ type Context struct {
 	count      int32
 	lock       sync.Mutex //booboo
 	PusherTomb tomb.Tomb
+	//to manage auto cleanup : max number of records *or* oldest
+	maxEventRetention    int
+	maxDurationRetention time.Duration
 }
 
 func checkConfig(cfg map[string]string) error {
@@ -78,6 +81,19 @@ func NewDatabase(cfg map[string]string) (*Context, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if v, ok := cfg["max_records"]; ok {
+		c.maxEventRetention, err = strconv.Atoi(v)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Ignoring invalid max_records '%s' : %s", v, err)
+		}
+	}
+	if v, ok := cfg["max_records_age"]; ok {
+		c.maxDurationRetention, err = time.ParseDuration(v)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Ignoring invalid duration '%s' : %s", v, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if val, ok := cfg["debug"]; ok && val == "true" {
 		log.Infof("Enabling debug for %s", cfg["type"])
 		c.Db.LogMode(true)
@@ -103,9 +119,5 @@ func NewDatabase(cfg map[string]string) (*Context, error) {
 	if c.tx == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to begin %s transac : %s", cfg["type"], err)
 	}
-	c.PusherTomb.Go(func() error {
-		c.AutoCommit()
-		return nil
-	})
 	return c, nil
 }