diff --git a/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md b/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
index ca221a8cd..45ab3bd99 100644
--- a/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
+++ b/Documentation/Getting-Started/Configuration-Guide.md
@@ -1450,6 +1450,12 @@ seconds. The interval is incremented until the value of `max_retry_interval` is
 reached at which point the listener attempts to bind to the interface every
 `max_retry_interval` seconds.
 
+The value is specified as documented [here](#durations). If no explicit unit
+is provided, the value is interpreted as seconds in MaxScale 2.4. In subsequent
+versions a value without a unit may be rejected. Note that since the granularity
+of the interval is seconds, an interval specified in milliseconds will be rejected,
+even if the duration is longer than a second.
+
 #### `session_track_trx_state`
 
 Enable or disable session transaction state tracking by offloading it to the backend servers.
diff --git a/server/core/config.cc b/server/core/config.cc
index 6db0e4ac5..d158a21ea 100644
--- a/server/core/config.cc
+++ b/server/core/config.cc
@@ -334,8 +334,9 @@ const MXS_MODULE_PARAM config_service_params[] =
     },
     {
         CN_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL,
-        MXS_MODULE_PARAM_COUNT,
-        "3600"
+        MXS_MODULE_PARAM_DURATION,
+        "3600s",
+        MXS_MODULE_OPT_DURATION_S
     },
     {
         CN_MAX_CONNECTIONS,
diff --git a/server/core/service.cc b/server/core/service.cc
index 173fa5c75..1e9fe2938 100644
--- a/server/core/service.cc
+++ b/server/core/service.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ Service::Service(const std::string& name,
     snprintf(weightby, sizeof(weightby), "%s", m_weightby.c_str());
     snprintf(version_string, sizeof(version_string), "%s", m_version_string.c_str());
 
-    max_retry_interval = params->get_integer(CN_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL);
+    max_retry_interval = params->get_duration<std::chrono::seconds>(CN_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL).count();
     users_from_all = params->get_bool(CN_AUTH_ALL_SERVERS);
     localhost_match_wildcard_host = params->get_bool(CN_LOCALHOST_MATCH_WILDCARD_HOST);
     retry_start = params->get_bool(CN_RETRY_ON_FAILURE);