diff --git a/root/etc/fail2ban/action.d/smeserver.conf b/root/etc/fail2ban/action.d/smeserver.conf
index 16e5a3d..d14e5c7 100644
--- a/root/etc/fail2ban/action.d/smeserver.conf
+++ b/root/etc/fail2ban/action.d/smeserver.conf
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-actionban = /sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban --host=<ip> --proto=<protocol> --port=<port>
+actionban = /sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban --host=<ip> --proto=<protocol> --port=<port> --bantime=<bantime>
 actionunban = /sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban --host=<ip> --unban --proto=<protocol> --port=<port>
 
 [Init]
 protocol = undef
 port = undef
+bantime = undef
diff --git a/root/sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban b/root/sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban
index 6a4e7c4..d1605d4 100644
--- a/root/sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban
+++ b/root/sbin/e-smith/smeserver-fail2ban
@@ -74,12 +74,14 @@ GetOptions(
     "unban"      => \$opts{unban},
     "protocol=s" => \$opts{proto},
     "port=s"     => \$opts{port},
-    "bantime=i"  => \$opts{bantime}
+    "bantime=s"  => \$opts{bantime}
 );
 
 # special "undef" value for port and proto
 undef $opts{proto} if ($opts{proto} eq 'undef');
 undef $opts{port} if ($opts{port} eq 'undef');
+$opts{bantime} = ($f2b->prop('BanTime') || '1800')
+    if ($opts{bantime} eq 'undef');
 
 # Check options are valid