diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 9a1d5f978..4ac463a4f 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ type usageCache struct {
 	data            map[string]NodeUsage
 	lastUpdated     time.Time
 	mu              sync.Mutex
-	refreshRateMins int
+	refreshInterval time.Duration
 }
 
 // NodeUsage represents all usage measurements for one node.
@@ -976,7 +976,8 @@ func (api *API) calculateUsage() {
 	api.usageCache.mu.Lock()
 	defer api.usageCache.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if api.usageCache.lastUpdated.After(time.Now().Add(time.Minute * time.Duration(api.usageCache.refreshRateMins) * -1)) {
+	// if api.usageCache.lastUpdated.After(time.Now().Add(time.Minute * time.Duration(api.usageCache.refreshInterval) * -1)) {
+	if time.Since(api.usageCache.lastUpdated) < api.usageCache.refreshInterval {
 		fmt.Printf("RefreshRate, too soon: time: %v, current time: %v \n", api.usageCache.lastUpdated, time.Now())
 		return
 	} else {
@@ -1029,15 +1030,15 @@ func (api *API) calculateUsage() {
 }
 
 // Periodically calculates disk usage
-func (api *API) RefreshUsageCache(refresh int) {
+func (api *API) RefreshUsageCache(refresh time.Duration) {
 	api.usageCache = &usageCache{
 		data:            make(map[string]NodeUsage),
-		refreshRateMins: refresh,
+		refreshInterval: refresh,
 	}
 	for {
 		api.calculateUsage()
 		api.calculateNodeUsage()
-		time.Sleep(time.Duration(api.usageCache.refreshRateMins) * time.Minute)
+		time.Sleep(api.usageCache.refreshInterval)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/ctl/server.go b/ctl/server.go
index 4d55bfc11..ce9796b13 100644
--- a/ctl/server.go
+++ b/ctl/server.go
@@ -112,5 +112,5 @@ func BuildServerFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, srv *server.Command) {
 	flags.Uint16Var(&srv.Config.Postgres.ConnectionLimit, "postgres.connection-limit", srv.Config.Postgres.ConnectionLimit, "Maximum number of simultaneous postgres connections to allow. (set 0 to disable)")
 
 	// Disk Usage refresh rate in minutes for ui/usage http endpoint
-	flags.IntVar(&srv.Config.DiskUsage.Interval, "disk-usage-interval", srv.Config.DiskUsage.Interval, "Number in minutes between recalculations of disk usage cache")
+	flags.DurationVar((*time.Duration)(&srv.Config.DiskUsage.Interval), "disk-usage-interval", time.Duration(srv.Config.DiskUsage.Interval), "Number in minutes between recalculations of disk usage cache")
 }
diff --git a/server/config.go b/server/config.go
index 3e5629f89..837226b24 100644
--- a/server/config.go
+++ b/server/config.go
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// LookupDBDSN is an external database to connect to for `ExternalLookup` queries.
 	LookupDBDSN string `toml:"lookup-db-dsn"`
 
-	// Disk Usage refresh rate in minutes for ui/usage http endpoint
+	// Disk Usage refresh interval for ui/usage http endpoint
 	DiskUsage struct {
-		Interval int `toml:"disk-usage-interval"`
+		Interval toml.Duration `toml:"disk-usage-interval"`
 	}
 }
 
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ func NewConfig() *Config {
 	c.Etcd.PeerCertFile = ""
 	c.Etcd.PeerKeyFile = ""
 
-	c.DiskUsage.Interval = 6 * 60 // 6 hours
+	c.DiskUsage.Interval = toml.Duration(6 * 60 * time.Minute) // 6 hours
 
 	return c
 }
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index ec34a4194..5635d2089 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ func (m *Command) Start() (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	go m.API.RefreshUsageCache(m.Config.DiskUsage.Interval)
+	go m.API.RefreshUsageCache(time.Duration(m.Config.DiskUsage.Interval))
 
 	_ = testhook.Opened(pilosa.NewAuditor(), m, nil)
 	close(m.Started)