diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index 7ea551ef..b40037bf 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ fn default_presence_offline_timeout() -> u64 {
 }
 
 fn default_presence_cleanup_period() -> u64 {
-    24 * 60 * 60
+    1 * 60 * 60
 }
 
 fn default_presence_cleanup_limit() -> u64 {
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/edus/presence.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/edus/presence.rs
index e56e3242..567c72ff 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/edus/presence.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/edus/presence.rs
@@ -306,6 +306,8 @@ impl service::rooms::edus::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 
         tokio::spawn(async move {
             loop {
+                sleep(period).await;
+
                 let mut removed_events: u64 = 0;
                 let age_limit_curr =
                     millis_since_unix_epoch().saturating_sub(age_limit.as_millis() as u64);
@@ -350,7 +352,6 @@ impl service::rooms::edus::presence::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
                 }
 
                 info!("Cleaned up {removed_events} stale presence events!");
-                sleep(period).await;
             }
         });