diff --git a/example-conf.yml b/example-conf.yml
index 0022263..8a0e213 100644
--- a/example-conf.yml
+++ b/example-conf.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ bot:
     # False.
     protect_services: false
 
+    # Determines how long plugins should wait (in seconds) before flushing their
+    # databases to disk. Defaults to 300 seconds. Changes here require a reload
+    # of all database-enabled plugins to take effect.
+    save_delay: 300
+
 login:
     # PyLink administrative login - Change this, or the service will not start!
     user: admin
diff --git a/plugins/automode.py b/plugins/automode.py
index a88ba36..c71ea2a 100644
--- a/plugins/automode.py
+++ b/plugins/automode.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import collections
 import threading
 import json
 
-from pylinkirc import utils
+from pylinkirc import utils, conf
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 
 mydesc = ("The \x02Automode\x02 plugin provides simple channel ACL management by giving prefix modes "
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ dbname = utils.getDatabaseName('automode')
 db = collections.defaultdict(dict)
 exportdb_timer = None
 
+save_delay = conf.conf['bot'].get('save_delay', 300)
+
 def loadDB():
     """Loads the Automode database, silently creating a new one if this fails."""
     global db
@@ -50,8 +52,7 @@ def scheduleExport(starting=False):
         # thing after start (i.e. DB has just been loaded).
         exportDB()
 
-    # TODO: possibly make delay between exports configurable
-    exportdb_timer = threading.Timer(30, scheduleExport)
+    exportdb_timer = threading.Timer(save_delay, scheduleExport)
     exportdb_timer.name = 'Automode exportDB Loop'
     exportdb_timer.start()
 
diff --git a/plugins/relay.py b/plugins/relay.py
index 0568b30..a9204b6 100644
--- a/plugins/relay.py
+++ b/plugins/relay.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import threading
 import string
 from collections import defaultdict
 
-from pylinkirc import utils, world
+from pylinkirc import utils, world, conf
 from pylinkirc.log import log
 
 ### GLOBAL (statekeeping) VARIABLES
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ spawnlocks = defaultdict(threading.RLock)
 spawnlocks_servers = defaultdict(threading.RLock)
 
 exportdb_timer = None
-
+save_delay = conf.conf['bot'].get('save_delay', 300)
 db = {}
 dbname = utils.getDatabaseName('pylinkrelay')
 
@@ -193,8 +193,7 @@ def scheduleExport(starting=False):
         # thing after start (i.e. DB has just been loaded).
         exportDB()
 
-    # TODO: possibly make delay between exports configurable
-    exportdb_timer = threading.Timer(30, scheduleExport)
+    exportdb_timer = threading.Timer(save_delay, scheduleExport)
     exportdb_timer.name = 'PyLink Relay exportDB Loop'
     exportdb_timer.start()