diff --git a/src/Duration.cpp b/src/Duration.cpp
index 8ffa15b33..c42ba6bad 100644
--- a/src/Duration.cpp
+++ b/src/Duration.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,13 @@ Duration::Duration (const std::string& input)
 : mSecs (0)
 , mNegative (false)
 {
-  parse (input);
+  if (digitsOnly (input))
+  {
+    mSecs = (time_t) strtol (input.c_str (), NULL, 10);
+    mNegative = false;
+  }
+  else
+    parse (input);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -342,6 +348,12 @@ bool Duration::valid (const std::string& input)
   std::string units;
   n.getUntilEOS (units);
 
+  // Non-trivial value with no units means the duration is specified in
+  // seconds, and therefore a time_t.  Consider it valid.
+  if (value != 0.0 &&
+      units == "")
+    return true;
+
   // Auto complete against all supported durations.
   std::vector <std::string> supported;
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < NUM_DURATIONS; ++i)
diff --git a/test/duration.t.cpp b/test/duration.t.cpp
index bd1f977cc..3635b8bca 100644
--- a/test/duration.t.cpp
+++ b/test/duration.t.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ int convertDuration (const std::string& input)
 
 int main (int argc, char** argv)
 {
-  UnitTest t (629);
+  UnitTest t (631);
 
   Duration d;
 
@@ -506,6 +506,8 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
   d = Duration (364*86400), t.is (d.formatCompact (), "11mo", "364*86400 -> 11mo");
   d = Duration (365*86400), t.is (d.formatCompact (), "1.0y", "365*86400 -> 1.0y");
 
+  d = Duration ("86400"),   t.is (d.formatCompact (), "1d",   "string '86400' -> 1d");
+
 	t.ok (d.valid ("daily"),      "valid duration daily");
   t.ok (d.valid ("day"),        "valid duration day");
   t.ok (d.valid ("weekly"),     "valid duration weekly");
@@ -630,6 +632,8 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
 
   t.ok (d.valid ("-"),          "valid duration -");
 
+  t.ok (d.valid ("86400"),      "valid duration '86400'");
+
   t.notok (d.valid ("woof"),    "valid duration woof = fail");
 
   t.is (convertDuration ("daily"),         1, "valid duration daily");