diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index efbaac9ec7208..ecefc3cbfda8a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+## master / unreleased
+
+### Features
+
+* [1558](https://github.com/grafana/loki/pull/1558) **owen-d**: Introduces `ingester.max-chunk-age` which specifies the maximum chunk age before it's cut.
+
 ## 1.3.0 (2019-01-16)
 
 ### What's New?? ###
@@ -156,7 +162,6 @@ Once again we can't thank our community and contributors enough for the signific
 #### New Members!
 * [1415](https://github.com/grafana/loki/pull/1415) **cyriltovena**: Add Joe as member of the team.
 
-
 # 1.2.0 (2019-12-09)
 
 One week has passed since the last Loki release, and it's time for a new one!
diff --git a/docs/configuration/README.md b/docs/configuration/README.md
index eed419496c6f2..0e38d114b4528 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/README.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/README.md
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ The `ingester_config` block configures Ingesters.
 # The maximum number of errors a stream will report to the user
 # when a push fails. 0 to make unlimited.
 [max_returned_stream_errors: <int> | default = 10]
+
+# The maximum duration of a timeseries chunk in memory. If a timeseries runs for longer than this the current chunk will be flushed to the store and a new chunk created.
+[max_chunk_age: <duration> | default = 1h]
+
 ```
 
 ### lifecycler_config
diff --git a/pkg/ingester/flush.go b/pkg/ingester/flush.go
index 7ab60d410a2e2..16f75f22366c6 100644
--- a/pkg/ingester/flush.go
+++ b/pkg/ingester/flush.go
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (i *Ingester) sweepStream(instance *instance, stream *stream, immediate boo
 	}
 
 	lastChunk := stream.chunks[len(stream.chunks)-1]
-	if len(stream.chunks) == 1 && time.Since(lastChunk.lastUpdated) < i.cfg.MaxChunkIdle && !immediate {
+	if len(stream.chunks) == 1 && !immediate && !i.shouldFlushChunk(&lastChunk) {
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -246,7 +246,10 @@ func (i *Ingester) shouldFlushChunk(chunk *chunkDesc) bool {
 	}
 
 	if time.Since(chunk.lastUpdated) > i.cfg.MaxChunkIdle {
-		chunk.closed = true
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if from, to := chunk.chunk.Bounds(); to.Sub(from) > i.cfg.MaxChunkAge {
 		return true
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/ingester/flush_test.go b/pkg/ingester/flush_test.go
index c54c10e9b3054..82ab2a603697d 100644
--- a/pkg/ingester/flush_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ingester/flush_test.go
@@ -102,6 +102,59 @@ func TestFlushingCollidingLabels(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFlushMaxAge(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := defaultIngesterTestConfig(t)
+	cfg.FlushCheckPeriod = time.Millisecond * 100
+	cfg.MaxChunkAge = time.Minute
+	cfg.MaxChunkIdle = time.Hour
+
+	store, ing := newTestStore(t, cfg)
+	defer store.Stop()
+
+	now := time.Unix(0, 0)
+
+	firstEntries := []logproto.Entry{
+		{Timestamp: now.Add(time.Nanosecond), Line: "1"},
+		{Timestamp: now.Add(time.Minute), Line: "2"},
+	}
+
+	secondEntries := []logproto.Entry{
+		{Timestamp: now.Add(time.Second * 61), Line: "3"},
+	}
+
+	req := &logproto.PushRequest{Streams: []*logproto.Stream{
+		{Labels: model.LabelSet{"app": "l"}.String(), Entries: firstEntries},
+	}}
+
+	const userID = "testUser"
+	ctx := user.InjectOrgID(context.Background(), userID)
+
+	_, err := ing.Push(ctx, req)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	time.Sleep(2 * cfg.FlushCheckPeriod)
+
+	// ensure chunk is not flushed after flush period elapses
+	store.checkData(t, map[string][]*logproto.Stream{})
+
+	req2 := &logproto.PushRequest{Streams: []*logproto.Stream{
+		{Labels: model.LabelSet{"app": "l"}.String(), Entries: secondEntries},
+	}}
+
+	_, err = ing.Push(ctx, req2)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	time.Sleep(2 * cfg.FlushCheckPeriod)
+
+	// assert stream is now both batches
+	store.checkData(t, map[string][]*logproto.Stream{
+		userID: []*logproto.Stream{
+			{Labels: model.LabelSet{"app": "l"}.String(), Entries: append(firstEntries, secondEntries...)},
+		},
+	})
+
+}
+
 type testStore struct {
 	mtx sync.Mutex
 	// Chunks keyed by userID.
diff --git a/pkg/ingester/ingester.go b/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
index 8c6c60fc75744..eae0be9d51fb5 100644
--- a/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
+++ b/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	BlockSize         int           `yaml:"chunk_block_size"`
 	TargetChunkSize   int           `yaml:"chunk_target_size"`
 	ChunkEncoding     string        `yaml:"chunk_encoding"`
+	MaxChunkAge       time.Duration `yaml:"max_chunk_age"`
 
 	// Synchronization settings. Used to make sure that ingesters cut their chunks at the same moments.
 	SyncPeriod         time.Duration `yaml:"sync_period"`
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) RegisterFlags(f *flag.FlagSet) {
 	f.DurationVar(&cfg.SyncPeriod, "ingester.sync-period", 0, "How often to cut chunks to synchronize ingesters.")
 	f.Float64Var(&cfg.SyncMinUtilization, "ingester.sync-min-utilization", 0, "Minimum utilization of chunk when doing synchronization.")
 	f.IntVar(&cfg.MaxReturnedErrors, "ingester.max-ignored-stream-errors", 10, "Maximum number of ignored stream errors to return. 0 to return all errors.")
+	f.DurationVar(&cfg.MaxChunkAge, "ingester.max-chunk-age", time.Hour, "Maximum chunk age before flushing.")
 }
 
 // Ingester builds chunks for incoming log streams.