diff --git a/src/readconf.c b/src/readconf.c
index d586dd1..4ac9ea3 100644
--- a/src/readconf.c
+++ b/src/readconf.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ static int parse_config (FILE *configfile) {
       { "registration_file",   TYP_STRING ,&configuration.registrationfile },
       { "log_calls",           TYP_INT4,   &configuration.log_calls },
       { "pid_file",            TYP_STRING ,&configuration.pid_file },
+      { "default_expires",     TYP_INT4   ,&configuration.default_expires },
       {0, 0, 0}
    };
 
@@ -294,3 +295,12 @@ static int parse_config (FILE *configfile) {
    } // while
    return STS_SUCCESS;
 }
+
+
+int make_default_config(void){
+   memset (&configuration, 0, sizeof(configuration));
+   configuration.sip_listen_port=SIP_PORT;
+   configuration.default_expires=DEFAULT_EXPIRES;
+
+   return STS_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/src/register.c b/src/register.c
index b242c22..ca723ec 100644
--- a/src/register.c
+++ b/src/register.c
@@ -237,10 +237,13 @@ int register_client(sip_ticket_t *ticket, int force_lcl_masq) {
       /* get expires from expires Header */
       expires=atoi(expires_hdr->hvalue);
    } else {
+      char tmp[16];
       /* it seems, the expires field is not present everywhere... */
-      DEBUGC(DBCLASS_REG,"no 'expires' header found - set time to 600 sec");
-      expires=600;
-      osip_message_set_expires(ticket->sipmsg, "600");
+      DEBUGC(DBCLASS_REG,"no 'expires' header found - set time to %i sec",
+             configuration.default_expires);
+      expires=configuration.default_expires;
+      sprintf(tmp,"%i",expires);
+      osip_message_set_expires(ticket->sipmsg, tmp);
    }
 
    url1_to=ticket->sipmsg->to->url;
diff --git a/src/siproxd.c b/src/siproxd.c
index c94cab6..f3cc038 100644
--- a/src/siproxd.c
+++ b/src/siproxd.c
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 /*
  * prepare default configuration
  */
-   memset (&configuration, 0, sizeof(configuration));
-   configuration.sip_listen_port=SIP_PORT;
+   make_default_config();
 
    log_set_pattern(configuration.debuglevel);      
 
diff --git a/src/siproxd.h b/src/siproxd.h
index 80ad6d1..28aef67 100644
--- a/src/siproxd.h
+++ b/src/siproxd.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ struct siproxd_config {
    char *registrationfile;
    int  log_calls;
    char *pid_file;
+   int  default_expires;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ int  sip_calculate_branch_id (sip_ticket_t *ticket, char *id);		/*X*/
 
 /* readconf.c */
 int read_config(char *name, int search);				/*X*/
+int make_default_config(void);						/*X*/
 
 /* rtpproxy.c */
 int  rtpproxy_init( void );						/*X*/
@@ -205,6 +207,7 @@ int comp_osip_message_parse   (osip_message_t *sip, const char *message);
  */
 #define SIP_PORT	5060	/* default port to listen */
 #define DEFAULT_MAXFWD	70	/* default Max-Forward count */
+#define DEFAULT_EXPIRES	3600	/* default Expires timeout */
 
 #define URLMAP_SIZE	32	/* number of URL mapping table entries	*/
 #define RTPPROXY_SIZE	64	/* number of rtp proxy entries		*/