diff --git a/swift/common/memcached.py b/swift/common/memcached.py
index 59bb7ed55a..42e9b34efd 100644
--- a/swift/common/memcached.py
+++ b/swift/common/memcached.py
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ def md5hash(key):
     return md5(key).hexdigest()
 
 
+def sanitize_timeout(timeout):
+    """
+    Sanitize a timeout value to use an absolute expiration time if the delta
+    is greater than 30 days (in seconds). Note that the memcached server
+    translates negative values to mean a delta of 30 days in seconds (and 1
+    additional second), client beware.
+    """
+    if timeout > (30 * 24 * 60 * 60):
+        timeout += time.time()
+    return timeout
+
+
 class MemcacheConnectionError(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -145,8 +157,7 @@ class MemcacheRing(object):
         :param timeout: ttl in memcache
         """
         key = md5hash(key)
-        if timeout > 0:
-            timeout += time.time()
+        timeout = sanitize_timeout(timeout)
         flags = 0
         if serialize and self._allow_pickle:
             value = pickle.dumps(value, PICKLE_PROTOCOL)
@@ -217,6 +228,7 @@ class MemcacheRing(object):
         if delta < 0:
             command = 'decr'
         delta = str(abs(int(delta)))
+        timeout = sanitize_timeout(timeout)
         for (server, fp, sock) in self._get_conns(key):
             try:
                 sock.sendall('%s %s %s\r\n' % (command, key, delta))
@@ -284,8 +296,7 @@ class MemcacheRing(object):
         :param timeout: ttl for memcache
         """
         server_key = md5hash(server_key)
-        if timeout > 0:
-            timeout += time.time()
+        timeout = sanitize_timeout(timeout)
         msg = ''
         for key, value in mapping.iteritems():
             key = md5hash(key)
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_memcached.py b/test/unit/common/test_memcached.py
index 276bbd3205..7272cdaee3 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_memcached.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_memcached.py
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class TestMemcached(unittest.TestCase):
         memcache_client._client_cache['1.2.3.4:11211'] = [(mock, mock)] * 2
         memcache_client.set('some_key', [1, 2, 3])
         self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), [1, 2, 3])
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '0')
         memcache_client.set('some_key', [4, 5, 6])
         self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), [4, 5, 6])
         memcache_client.set('some_key', ['simple str', 'utf8 str éà'])
@@ -176,8 +177,11 @@ class TestMemcached(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(
             memcache_client.get('some_key'), ['simple str', u'utf8 str éà'])
         self.assert_(float(mock.cache.values()[0][1]) == 0)
-        esttimeout = time.time() + 10
         memcache_client.set('some_key', [1, 2, 3], timeout=10)
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '10')
+        sixtydays = 60 * 24 * 60 * 60
+        esttimeout = time.time() + sixtydays
+        memcache_client.set('some_key', [1, 2, 3], timeout=sixtydays)
         self.assert_(-1 <= float(mock.cache.values()[0][1]) - esttimeout <= 1)
 
     def test_incr(self):
@@ -198,6 +202,29 @@ class TestMemcached(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(memcached.MemcacheConnectionError,
                           memcache_client.incr, 'some_key', delta=-15)
 
+    def test_incr_w_timeout(self):
+        memcache_client = memcached.MemcacheRing(['1.2.3.4:11211'])
+        mock = MockMemcached()
+        memcache_client._client_cache['1.2.3.4:11211'] = [(mock, mock)] * 2
+        memcache_client.incr('some_key', delta=5, timeout=55)
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), '5')
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '55')
+        memcache_client.delete('some_key')
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), None)
+        fiftydays = 50 * 24 * 60 * 60
+        esttimeout = time.time() + fiftydays
+        memcache_client.incr('some_key', delta=5, timeout=fiftydays)
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), '5')
+        self.assert_(-1 <= float(mock.cache.values()[0][1]) - esttimeout <= 1)
+        memcache_client.delete('some_key')
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), None)
+        memcache_client.incr('some_key', delta=5)
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), '5')
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '0')
+        memcache_client.incr('some_key', delta=5, timeout=55)
+        self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get('some_key'), '10')
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '0')
+
     def test_decr(self):
         memcache_client = memcached.MemcacheRing(['1.2.3.4:11211'])
         mock = MockMemcached()
@@ -244,10 +271,18 @@ class TestMemcached(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(
             memcache_client.get_multi(('some_key2', 'some_key1'), 'multi_key'),
             [[4, 5, 6], [1, 2, 3]])
-        esttimeout = time.time() + 10
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '0')
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[1][1], '0')
         memcache_client.set_multi(
             {'some_key1': [1, 2, 3], 'some_key2': [4, 5, 6]}, 'multi_key',
             timeout=10)
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[0][1], '10')
+        self.assertEquals(mock.cache.values()[1][1], '10')
+        fortydays = 50 * 24 * 60 * 60
+        esttimeout = time.time() + fortydays
+        memcache_client.set_multi(
+            {'some_key1': [1, 2, 3], 'some_key2': [4, 5, 6]}, 'multi_key',
+            timeout=fortydays)
         self.assert_(-1 <= float(mock.cache.values()[0][1]) - esttimeout <= 1)
         self.assert_(-1 <= float(mock.cache.values()[1][1]) - esttimeout <= 1)
         self.assertEquals(memcache_client.get_multi(