diff --git a/overlay.c b/overlay.c
index 145caf21..65239d18 100644
--- a/overlay.c
+++ b/overlay.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
 */
 
 #include "serval.h"
+#include "rhizome.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 
 int overlayMode=0;
@@ -83,6 +84,10 @@ int overlayServerMode()
      send periodic traffic. This means we need to */
   INFO("Running in overlay mode.");
 
+  /* Make sure rhizome configured settings are known. */
+  if (rhizome_fetch_interval_ms < 1)
+    rhizome_configure();
+
   /* Get keyring available for use.
      Required for MDP, and very soon as a complete replacement for the
      HLR for DNA lookups, even in non-overlay mode. */
@@ -137,7 +142,7 @@ schedule(&_sched_##X);
   /* Pick next rhizome files to grab every few seconds
      from the priority list continuously being built from observed
      bundle announcements */
-  SCHEDULE(rhizome_enqueue_suggestions, 3000);
+  SCHEDULE(rhizome_enqueue_suggestions, rhizome_fetch_interval_ms);
 
   /* Periodically check for new interfaces */
   SCHEDULE(overlay_interface_discover, 1);
diff --git a/rhizome.c b/rhizome.c
index c1b6bd88..ec6acf10 100644
--- a/rhizome.c
+++ b/rhizome.c
@@ -21,6 +21,26 @@ Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
 #include "rhizome.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+static int rhizome_enabled_flag = -1; // unknown
+int rhizome_fetch_interval_ms = -1;
+
+/* Configure rhizome.
+   @author Andrew Bettison <andrew@servalproject.com>
+ */
+int rhizome_configure()
+{
+  rhizome_enabled_flag = confValueGetBoolean("rhizome.enable", 1);
+  rhizome_fetch_interval_ms = (int) confValueGetInt64Range("rhizome.fetch_interval_ms", 3000, 1, 3600000);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int rhizome_enabled()
+{
+  if (rhizome_enabled_flag < 0)
+    rhizome_configure();
+  return rhizome_enabled_flag;
+}
+
 /* Import a bundle from the inbox folder.  The bundle is contained a pair of files, one containing
    the manifest and the optional other containing the payload.
 
diff --git a/rhizome.h b/rhizome.h
index 1aba6e4b..4d18a80f 100644
--- a/rhizome.h
+++ b/rhizome.h
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ typedef struct rhizome_manifest {
 #define     RHIZOME_SERVICE_MESHMS  "MeshMS1"
 
 extern long long rhizome_space;
+extern int rhizome_fetch_interval_ms;
+
+int rhizome_configure();
 
 int rhizome_set_datastore_path(const char *path);
 
diff --git a/rhizome_database.c b/rhizome_database.c
index 4e170e66..6d09418c 100644
--- a/rhizome_database.c
+++ b/rhizome_database.c
@@ -24,15 +24,8 @@ Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
 
 long long rhizome_space=0;
 static const char *rhizome_thisdatastore_path = NULL;
-static int rhizome_enabled_flag = -1; // unknown
-#define SQLITE_CODE_OK(code) (code==SQLITE_OK || code==SQLITE_DONE)
 
-int rhizome_enabled()
-{
-  if (rhizome_enabled_flag < 0)
-    rhizome_enabled_flag = confValueGetBoolean("rhizome.enable", 1);
-  return rhizome_enabled_flag;
-}
+#define SQLITE_CODE_OK(code) (code==SQLITE_OK || code==SQLITE_DONE)
 
 const char *rhizome_datastore_path()
 {
diff --git a/rhizome_fetch.c b/rhizome_fetch.c
index 22012db5..063fb8eb 100644
--- a/rhizome_fetch.c
+++ b/rhizome_fetch.c
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ void rhizome_enqueue_suggestions(struct sched_ent *alarm)
     bcopy(&candidates[i],&candidates[0],bytes);
     candidate_count-=i;
   }
-  alarm->alarm = overlay_gettime_ms() + 3000;
+  alarm->alarm = overlay_gettime_ms() + rhizome_fetch_interval_ms;
   schedule(alarm);
   return;
 }
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ int rhizome_queue_manifest_import(rhizome_manifest *m, struct sockaddr_in *peeri
       }
       else
 	{
-	  if (1||debug&DEBUG_RHIZOMESYNC) 
+	  if (debug&DEBUG_RHIZOMESYNC) 
 	    DEBUGF("We already have the file for this manifest; importing from manifest alone.");
 	  if (create_rhizome_import_dir() == -1)
 	    return -1;
diff --git a/tests/rhizomeprotocol b/tests/rhizomeprotocol
index f9a07425..a2f1e711 100755
--- a/tests/rhizomeprotocol
+++ b/tests/rhizomeprotocol
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ configure_servald_server() {
    executeOk_servald config set debug.rhizomesync on
    executeOk_servald config set mdp.wifi.tick_ms 100
    executeOk_servald config set mdp.selfannounce.ticks_per_full_address 1
+   executeOk_servald config set rhizome.fetch_interval_ms 100
 }
 
 doc_FileTransferNew="Initial list is empty"