diff --git a/Changelog-Trunk.txt b/Changelog-Trunk.txt
index 8873282199..03e2d59230 100644
--- a/Changelog-Trunk.txt
+++ b/Changelog-Trunk.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ AS OF SVN REV. 5091, WE ARE NOW USING TRUNK.  ALL UNTESTED BUGFIXES/FEATURES GO
 IF YOU HAVE A WORKING AND TESTED BUGFIX PUT IT INTO STABLE AS WELL AS TRUNK.
 
 2006/08/14
+	* Removed support for negative autosave intervals, instead added a
+	  minsave_interval setting which specifies which is the minimum time between
+	  character saves. Default to 100ms (map_athena.conf). [Skotlex]
 	* Sacrifice no longer shows damage to self. [Skotlex]
 	* When Asura fails, the skill display will still come off. [Skotlex]
 	* Lots of cleaning of the Homun-code. Perhaps the crashes as of late will
diff --git a/conf-tmpl/Changelog.txt b/conf-tmpl/Changelog.txt
index 541b729f18..f2e5fc9c0d 100644
--- a/conf-tmpl/Changelog.txt
+++ b/conf-tmpl/Changelog.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 Date	Added
 
 2006/08/14
+	* Removed support for negative autosave intervals, instead added a
+	  minsave_interval setting which specifies which is the minimum time between
+	  character saves. Default to 100ms (map_athena.conf). [Skotlex]
 	* Modified emergency_call setting to allow for more specific configuration
 	  (woe/non-woe, gvg-grounds/non-gvg-grounds, disable from nowarpto maps), see
 	  skill.conf for details. [Skotlex]
diff --git a/conf-tmpl/map_athena.conf b/conf-tmpl/map_athena.conf
index a3ee68cebf..e74dd1eeef 100644
--- a/conf-tmpl/map_athena.conf
+++ b/conf-tmpl/map_athena.conf
@@ -93,14 +93,16 @@ enable_spy: no
 console: off
 
 // Database autosave time
-// When positive, all characters are saved on this time in seconds (example:
+// All characters are saved on this time in seconds (example:
 // autosave of 60 secs with 60 characters online -> one char is saved every 
 // second)
-// When negative, the timeslot is constant, in seconds (example: if -1, a
-// character will be saved once a second, regardless of number of players 
-// online).
 autosave_time: 300
 
+// Min database save intervals (in ms)
+// Prevent saving characters faster than at this rate (prevents char-server 
+// save-load getting too high as character-count increases)
+minsave_time: 100
+
 // Apart from the autosave_time, players will also get saved when involved
 // in the following (add as needed):
 // 1: after every successful trade
diff --git a/src/map/map.c b/src/map/map.c
index 93508d9662..70dc79cac4 100644
--- a/src/map/map.c
+++ b/src/map/map.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ int map_num = 0;
 int map_port=0;
 
 int autosave_interval = DEFAULT_AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL;
+int minsave_interval = 100;
 int save_settings = 0xFFFF;
 int charsave_method = 0; //Default 'OLD' Save method (SQL ONLY!) [Sirius]
 int agit_flag = 0;
@@ -3314,9 +3315,14 @@ int map_config_read(char *cfgName) {
 				npc_delsrcfile(w2);
 			} else if (strcmpi(w1, "autosave_time") == 0) {
 				autosave_interval = atoi(w2);
-				if (!autosave_interval) //Revert to default saving.
+				if (autosave_interval < 1) //Revert to default saving.
 					autosave_interval = DEFAULT_AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL;
-				autosave_interval *= 1000; //Pass from sec to ms
+				else
+					autosave_interval *= 1000; //Pass from sec to ms
+			} else if (strcmpi(w1, "minsave_time") == 0) {
+				minsave_interval= atoi(w2);
+				if (minsave_interval < 1)
+					minsave_interval = 1;
 			} else if (strcmpi(w1, "save_settings") == 0) {
 				save_settings = atoi(w2);
 			} else if (strcmpi(w1, "motd_txt") == 0) {
diff --git a/src/map/map.h b/src/map/map.h
index 5ba672cd74..37a0b9c54f 100644
--- a/src/map/map.h
+++ b/src/map/map.h
@@ -1246,6 +1246,7 @@ struct chat_data {
 extern struct map_data map[];
 extern int map_num;
 extern int autosave_interval;
+extern int minsave_interval;
 extern int save_settings;
 extern int agit_flag;
 extern int night_flag; // 0=day, 1=night [Yor]
diff --git a/src/map/pc.c b/src/map/pc.c
index 59d65aa0df..cb03378e33 100644
--- a/src/map/pc.c
+++ b/src/map/pc.c
@@ -7175,12 +7175,9 @@ int pc_autosave(int tid,unsigned int tick,int id,int data)
 		save_flag = 1; //Noone was saved, so save first found char.
 	map_foreachpc(pc_autosave_sub);
 
-	if (autosave_interval < 0)
-		return 0; //Fixed interval for saving. [Skotlex]
-
 	interval = autosave_interval/(clif_countusers()+1);
-	if(interval <= 0)
-		interval = 1;
+	if(interval < minsave_interval)
+		interval = minsave_interval;
 	add_timer(gettick()+interval,pc_autosave,0,0);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -7594,10 +7591,7 @@ int do_init_pc(void) {
 	natural_heal_prev_tick = gettick();
 	add_timer_interval(natural_heal_prev_tick + NATURAL_HEAL_INTERVAL, pc_natural_heal, 0, 0, NATURAL_HEAL_INTERVAL);
 
-	if (autosave_interval > 0) //Normal saving.
-		add_timer(gettick() + autosave_interval, pc_autosave, 0, 0);
-	else //Constant save interval.
-		add_timer_interval(gettick() -autosave_interval, pc_autosave, 0, 0, -autosave_interval);
+	add_timer(gettick() + autosave_interval, pc_autosave, 0, 0);
 
 	if (battle_config.day_duration > 0 && battle_config.night_duration > 0) {
 		int day_duration = battle_config.day_duration;