diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/main.go b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
index 7043b7d2c..20ad09b9f 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/main.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ type serveCmd struct {
 	Audit                     bool          `help:"Write events to audit file" env:"STAUDIT"`
 	AuditFile                 string        `name:"auditfile" help:"Specify audit file (use \"-\" for stdout, \"--\" for stderr)" placeholder:"PATH" env:"STAUDITFILE"`
 	DBMaintenanceInterval     time.Duration `help:"Database maintenance interval" default:"8h" env:"STDBMAINTENANCEINTERVAL"`
-	DBDeleteRetentionInterval time.Duration `help:"Database deleted item retention interval" default:"4320h" env:"STDBDELETERETENTIONINTERVAL"`
+	DBDeleteRetentionInterval time.Duration `help:"Database deleted item retention interval" default:"10920h" env:"STDBDELETERETENTIONINTERVAL"`
 	GUIAddress                string        `name:"gui-address" help:"Override GUI address (e.g. \"http://192.0.2.42:8443\")" placeholder:"URL" env:"STGUIADDRESS"`
 	GUIAPIKey                 string        `name:"gui-apikey" help:"Override GUI API key" placeholder:"API-KEY" env:"STGUIAPIKEY"`
 	LogFile                   string        `name:"log-file" aliases:"logfile" help:"Log file name (see below)" default:"${logFile}" placeholder:"PATH" env:"STLOGFILE"`
diff --git a/internal/db/sqlite/db_open.go b/internal/db/sqlite/db_open.go
index 927135dc4..2a601a42e 100644
--- a/internal/db/sqlite/db_open.go
+++ b/internal/db/sqlite/db_open.go
@@ -17,14 +17,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/syncthing/syncthing/internal/slogutil"
 )
 
-const maxDBConns = 16
+const (
+	maxDBConns         = 16
+	minDeleteRetention = 24 * time.Hour
+)
 
 type DB struct {
+	*baseDB
+
 	pathBase        string
 	deleteRetention time.Duration
 
-	*baseDB
-
 	folderDBsMut   sync.RWMutex
 	folderDBs      map[string]*folderDB
 	folderDBOpener func(folder, path string, deleteRetention time.Duration) (*folderDB, error)
@@ -36,7 +39,11 @@ type Option func(*DB)
 
 func WithDeleteRetention(d time.Duration) Option {
 	return func(s *DB) {
-		s.deleteRetention = d
+		if d <= 0 {
+			s.deleteRetention = 0
+		} else {
+			s.deleteRetention = max(d, minDeleteRetention)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/db/sqlite/db_service.go b/internal/db/sqlite/db_service.go
index de2e68ddf..1a5b68d16 100644
--- a/internal/db/sqlite/db_service.go
+++ b/internal/db/sqlite/db_service.go
@@ -19,10 +19,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	internalMetaPrefix     = "dbsvc"
-	lastMaintKey           = "lastMaint"
-	defaultDeleteRetention = 180 * 24 * time.Hour
-	minDeleteRetention     = 24 * time.Hour
+	internalMetaPrefix = "dbsvc"
+	lastMaintKey       = "lastMaint"
 )
 
 func (s *DB) Service(maintenanceInterval time.Duration) suture.Service {
diff --git a/relnotes/v2.0.md b/relnotes/v2.0.md
index 24c192b99..67be67605 100644
--- a/relnotes/v2.0.md
+++ b/relnotes/v2.0.md
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
   line options have been removed and will be ignored if given.
 
 - Deleted items are no longer kept forever in the database, instead they are
-  forgotten after six months. If your use case require deletes to take
-  effect after more than a six month delay, set the
+  forgotten after fifteen months. If your use case require deletes to take
+  effect after more than a fifteen month delay, set the
   `--db-delete-retention-interval` command line option or corresponding
   environment variable to zero, or a longer time interval of your choosing.