diff --git a/vmbackup.sh b/vmbackup.sh
index f2438f7..afc8c24 100755
--- a/vmbackup.sh
+++ b/vmbackup.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ set -e
 set -u
 set -o pipefail
 
+retention=2
 statusfile=/var/run/zabbix/vmbackup.status
 basedir=/mnt/backups/vms
 vbm="sudo -u cig vboxmanage"
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ if ( checkRunning $machine ) ; then
 	ret=$?
 	test $ret -eq 0 || _mail "rsync error $ret"
 	$vbm startvm $machine
-	test $ret -eq 0 && find ${basedir} -maxdepth 1 -type d -mtime +7 -exec echo rm -fr {} \;
+	test $ret -eq 0 && find ${basedir} -maxdepth 1 -type d -mtime +${retention} -exec echo rm -fr {} \;
 	umount /mnt/backups &> /dev/null || _mail "umount failed"
    _mail "backup done with status $ret"
 	_exit "backup done" $ret