diff --git a/dht.go b/dht.go
index 6823a54cf..489858425 100644
--- a/dht.go
+++ b/dht.go
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ type IpfsDHT struct {
 	rtRefreshQueryTimeout time.Duration
 	rtRefreshPeriod       time.Duration
 	triggerRtRefresh      chan struct{}
+
+	maxRecordAge time.Duration
 }
 
 // Assert that IPFS assumptions about interfaces aren't broken. These aren't a
@@ -95,6 +97,8 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, options ...opts.Option) (*IpfsDHT, er
 	dht.rtRefreshPeriod = cfg.RoutingTable.RefreshPeriod
 	dht.rtRefreshQueryTimeout = cfg.RoutingTable.RefreshQueryTimeout
 
+	dht.maxRecordAge = cfg.MaxRecordAge
+
 	// register for network notifs.
 	dht.host.Network().Notify((*netNotifiee)(dht))
 
diff --git a/handlers.go b/handlers.go
index f517d0153..a0736064d 100644
--- a/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func (dht *IpfsDHT) checkLocalDatastore(k []byte) (*recpb.Record, error) {
 		recordIsBad = true
 	}
 
-	if time.Since(recvtime) > MaxRecordAge {
+	if time.Since(recvtime) > dht.maxRecordAge {
 		logger.Debug("old record found, tossing.")
 		recordIsBad = true
 	}
diff --git a/opts/options.go b/opts/options.go
index 8da33eeac..e0e524c17 100644
--- a/opts/options.go
+++ b/opts/options.go
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@ var (
 
 // Options is a structure containing all the options that can be used when constructing a DHT.
 type Options struct {
-	Datastore  ds.Batching
-	Validator  record.Validator
-	Client     bool
-	Protocols  []protocol.ID
-	BucketSize int
+	Datastore    ds.Batching
+	Validator    record.Validator
+	Client       bool
+	Protocols    []protocol.ID
+	BucketSize   int
+	MaxRecordAge time.Duration
 
 	RoutingTable struct {
 		RefreshQueryTimeout time.Duration
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ var Defaults = func(o *Options) error {
 	o.RoutingTable.RefreshQueryTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 	o.RoutingTable.RefreshPeriod = 1 * time.Hour
 	o.RoutingTable.AutoRefresh = true
+	o.MaxRecordAge = time.Hour * 36
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -153,6 +155,19 @@ func BucketSize(bucketSize int) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// MaxRecordAge specifies the maximum time that any node will hold onto a record ("PutValue record")
+// from the time its received. This does not apply to any other forms of validity that
+// the record may contain.
+// For example, a record may contain an ipns entry with an EOL saying its valid
+// until the year 2020 (a great time in the future). For that record to stick around
+// it must be rebroadcasted more frequently than once every 'MaxRecordAge'
+func MaxRecordAge(maxAge time.Duration) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) error {
+		o.MaxRecordAge = maxAge
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // DisableAutoRefresh completely disables 'auto-refresh' on the DHT routing
 // table. This means that we will neither refresh the routing table periodically
 // nor when the routing table size goes below the minimum threshold.
diff --git a/records.go b/records.go
index 5f641b056..7a1ee0ca0 100644
--- a/records.go
+++ b/records.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package dht
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/routing"
@@ -11,14 +10,6 @@ import (
 	ci "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/crypto"
 )
 
-// MaxRecordAge specifies the maximum time that any node will hold onto a record
-// from the time its received. This does not apply to any other forms of validity that
-// the record may contain.
-// For example, a record may contain an ipns entry with an EOL saying its valid
-// until the year 2020 (a great time in the future). For that record to stick around
-// it must be rebroadcasted more frequently than once every 'MaxRecordAge'
-const MaxRecordAge = time.Hour * 36
-
 type pubkrs struct {
 	pubk ci.PubKey
 	err  error