diff --git a/mycroft/configuration/mycroft.conf b/mycroft/configuration/mycroft.conf
index b79e87f97b..ddec2be9d1 100644
--- a/mycroft/configuration/mycroft.conf
+++ b/mycroft/configuration/mycroft.conf
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@
     "blacklisted_skills": ["skill-media", "send_sms", "skill-wolfram-alpha"],
     // priority skills to be loaded first
     "priority_skills": ["mycroft-pairing", "mycroft-volume"],
-    // Minimum time since last skill updata to force an update on startup
-    "startup_update_required_time": 12
+    // Time between updating skills in hours
+    "update_interval": 1.0
   },
   
   // Address of the REMOTE server
diff --git a/mycroft/skills/main.py b/mycroft/skills/main.py
index 21ea8aad29..1fcd03a93f 100644
--- a/mycroft/skills/main.py
+++ b/mycroft/skills/main.py
@@ -203,9 +203,12 @@ class SkillManager(Thread):
         self.enclosure = EnclosureAPI(ws)
 
         # Schedule install/update of default skill
+        self.update_interval = Configuration.get()['skills']['update_interval']
+        self.update_interval = int(self.update_interval * 60 * MINUTES)
         self.dot_msm = join(SKILLS_DIR, '.msm')
         if exists(self.dot_msm):
-            self.next_download = os.path.getmtime(self.dot_msm) + 60 * MINUTES
+            self.next_download = os.path.getmtime(self.dot_msm) + \
+                                 self.update_interval
         else:
             self.next_download = time.time() - 1
 
@@ -294,7 +297,7 @@ class SkillManager(Thread):
 
         with open(self.dot_msm, 'a'):
             os.utime(self.dot_msm, None)
-        self.next_download = time.time() + 60 * MINUTES
+        self.next_download = time.time() + self.update_interval
 
         if speak:
             data = {'utterance': dialog.get("skills updated")}