diff --git a/src/freedombone-utils-gnusocialtools b/src/freedombone-utils-gnusocialtools
index ecd667d2..ea01839e 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-utils-gnusocialtools
+++ b/src/freedombone-utils-gnusocialtools
@@ -741,6 +741,9 @@ function expire_gnusocial_posts {
 
     expire_days=$((expire_months * 30))
 
+    # files are what take up most of the backup time, so don't keep them for very long
+    expire_days_files=7
+
     # To prevent the database size from growing endlessly this script expires posts
     # after a number of months
     if [ ! -d /var/www/${domain_name}/htdocs ]; then
@@ -790,7 +793,7 @@ function expire_gnusocial_posts {
 
     gnusocial_expire_script=/usr/bin/${gnusocial_type}-expire
     echo '#!/bin/bash' > $gnusocial_expire_script
-    echo "find /var/www/${domain_name}/htdocs/file/* -mtime +${expire_days} -exec rm {} +" >> $gnusocial_expire_script
+    echo "find /var/www/${domain_name}/htdocs/file/* -mtime +${expire_days_files} -exec rm {} +" >> $gnusocial_expire_script
     echo "/usr/bin/php $gnusocial_expire_posts_script" >> $gnusocial_expire_script
     chmod +x $gnusocial_expire_script