diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b28bda9..2672b5f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ clickhouse:
 binlog_replicator:
   data_dir: '/home/user/binlog/'
   records_per_file: 100000
+  binlog_retention_period: 43200  # optional, how long to keep binlog files in seconds, default 12 hours
 
 databases: 'database_name_pattern_*'
 tables: '*'
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ types_mapping:          # optional
 - `log_level` - log level, default is `info`, you can set to `debug` to get maximum information (allowed values are `debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`, `critical`)
 - `optimize_interval` - interval (seconds) between automatic `OPTIMIZE table FINAL` calls. Default 86400 (1 day). This is required to perform all merges guaranteed and avoid increasing of used storage and decreasing performance.
 - `auto_restart_interval` - interval (seconds) between automatic db_replicator restart. Default 3600 (1 hour). This is done to reduce memory usage.
+- `binlog_retention_period` - how long to keep binlog files in seconds. Default 43200 (12 hours). This setting controls how long the local binlog files are retained before being automatically cleaned up.
 - `indexes` - you may want to add some indexes to accelerate performance, eg. ngram index for full-test search, etc. To apply indexes you need to start replication from scratch.
 - `http_host`, `http_port` - http endpoint to control replication, use `/docs` for abailable commands
 - `types_mappings` - custom types mapping, eg. you can map char(36) to UUID instead of String, etc.
diff --git a/mysql_ch_replicator/binlog_replicator.py b/mysql_ch_replicator/binlog_replicator.py
index 824253d..cc0ab26 100644
--- a/mysql_ch_replicator/binlog_replicator.py
+++ b/mysql_ch_replicator/binlog_replicator.py
@@ -340,7 +340,6 @@ def save(self):
 class BinlogReplicator:
     SAVE_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 60
     BINLOG_CLEAN_INTERVAL = 5 * 60
-    BINLOG_RETENTION_PERIOD = 12 * 60 * 60
     READ_LOG_INTERVAL = 0.3
 
     def __init__(self, settings: Settings):
@@ -378,7 +377,7 @@ def clear_old_binlog_if_required(self):
             return
 
         self.last_binlog_clear_time = curr_time
-        self.data_writer.remove_old_files(curr_time - BinlogReplicator.BINLOG_RETENTION_PERIOD)
+        self.data_writer.remove_old_files(curr_time - self.replicator_settings.binlog_retention_period)
 
     @classmethod
     def _try_parse_db_name_from_query(cls, query: str) -> str:
diff --git a/mysql_ch_replicator/config.py b/mysql_ch_replicator/config.py
index 72b23a0..d428fe9 100644
--- a/mysql_ch_replicator/config.py
+++ b/mysql_ch_replicator/config.py
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ def validate(self):
 class BinlogReplicatorSettings:
     data_dir: str = 'binlog'
     records_per_file: int = 100000
+    binlog_retention_period: int = 43200  # 12 hours in seconds
 
     def validate(self):
         if not isinstance(self.data_dir, str):
@@ -86,6 +87,12 @@ def validate(self):
         if self.records_per_file <= 0:
             raise ValueError('binlog_replicator records_per_file should be positive')
 
+        if not isinstance(self.binlog_retention_period, int):
+            raise ValueError(f'binlog_replicator binlog_retention_period should be int and not {stype(self.binlog_retention_period)}')
+
+        if self.binlog_retention_period <= 0:
+            raise ValueError('binlog_replicator binlog_retention_period should be positive')
+
 
 class Settings:
     DEFAULT_LOG_LEVEL = 'info'
diff --git a/tests_config.yaml b/tests_config.yaml
index 7ec8439..96fd998 100644
--- a/tests_config.yaml
+++ b/tests_config.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 mysql:
   host: 'localhost'
   port: 9306
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ clickhouse:
 binlog_replicator:
   data_dir: '/app/binlog/'
   records_per_file: 100000
+  binlog_retention_period: 43200  # 12 hours in seconds
 
 databases: '*test*'
 log_level: 'debug'