diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
index 61b6005a2d..16fcada6ad 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
@@ -134,13 +134,6 @@ void Application::run()
 	else
 		startNewLedger();
 
-	if (theConfig.FULL_HISTORY && (theConfig.START_UP != Config::LOAD))
-	{
-		Ledger::pointer ledger = Ledger::getLastFullLedger();
-		if (ledger)
-			mLedgerMaster.setLedgerRangePresent(0, ledger->getLedgerSeq());
-	}
-
 	//
 	// Begin validation and ip maintenance.
 	// - Wallet maintains local information: including identity and network connection persistence information.
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
index 18c60c235b..0304de7b47 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 
 #include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
+#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@
 #define SECTION_FEE_NICKNAME_CREATE		"fee_nickname_create"
 #define SECTION_FEE_OFFER				"fee_offer"
 #define SECTION_FEE_OPERATION			"fee_operation"
-#define SECTION_FULL_HISTORY			"full_history"
+#define SECTION_LEDGER_HISTORY			"ledger_history"
 #define SECTION_IPS						"ips"
 #define SECTION_NETWORK_QUORUM			"network_quorum"
 #define SECTION_PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER	"peer_connect_low_water"
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ void Config::setup(const std::string& strConf)
 	FEE_DEFAULT				= DEFAULT_FEE_DEFAULT;
 	FEE_CONTRACT_OPERATION  = DEFAULT_FEE_OPERATION;
 
-	FULL_HISTORY			= false;
+	LEDGER_HISTORY			= 256;
 
 	ACCOUNT_PROBE_MAX		= 10;
 
@@ -292,8 +293,16 @@ void Config::load()
 			if (sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_FEE_OPERATION, strTemp))
 				FEE_CONTRACT_OPERATION	= boost::lexical_cast<int>(strTemp);
 
-			if (sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_FULL_HISTORY, strTemp))
-				FULL_HISTORY = boost::lexical_cast<bool>(strTemp);
+			if (sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_LEDGER_HISTORY, strTemp))
+			{
+				boost::to_lower(strTemp);
+				if ((strTemp == "no") || (strTemp == "none") || (strTemp == "off") || (strTemp == "false"))
+					LEDGER_HISTORY = 0;
+				else if ((strTemp == "yes") || (strTemp == "full") || (strTemp == "on") || (strTemp == "-1"))
+					LEDGER_HISTORY = 1000000000u;
+				else
+					LEDGER_HISTORY = boost::lexical_cast<uint32>(strTemp);
+			}
 
 			if (sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_ACCOUNT_PROBE_MAX, strTemp))
 				ACCOUNT_PROBE_MAX	= boost::lexical_cast<int>(strTemp);
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
index 53d91f6921..9704396f72 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public:
 	int							FEE_CONTRACT_OPERATION; // fee for each contract operation
 
 	// Node storage configuration
-	bool						FULL_HISTORY;
+	uint32						LEDGER_HISTORY;
 
 	// Client behavior
 	int							ACCOUNT_PROBE_MAX;		// How far to scan for accounts.
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
index 6c3a2ebc97..52468b743e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerMaster.cpp
@@ -152,8 +152,19 @@ void LedgerMaster::missingAcquireComplete(LedgerAcquire::pointer acq)
 	}
 }
 
-void LedgerMaster::setFullLedger(Ledger::ref ledger)
+static bool shouldAcquire(uint32 currentLedger, uint32 ledgerHistory, uint32 candidateLedger)
 {
+	bool ret;
+	if (candidateLedger >= currentLedger)
+		ret = true;
+	else ret = (currentLedger - candidateLedger) <= ledgerHistory;
+	cLog(lsDEBUG) << "Missing ledger " << candidateLedger << (ret ? "will" : "will NOT") << " be acquired";
+	return ret;
+}
+
+void LedgerMaster::setFullLedger(Ledger::ref ledger)
+{ // A new ledger has been accepted as part of the trusted chain
+
 	boost::recursive_mutex::scoped_lock ml(mLock);
 
 	mCompleteLedgers.setValue(ledger->getLedgerSeq());
@@ -161,7 +172,12 @@ void LedgerMaster::setFullLedger(Ledger::ref ledger)
 	if ((ledger->getLedgerSeq() != 0) && mCompleteLedgers.hasValue(ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1))
 	{ // we think we have the previous ledger, double check
 		Ledger::pointer prevLedger = getLedgerBySeq(ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1);
-		if (prevLedger && (prevLedger->getHash() != ledger->getParentHash()))
+		if (!prevLedger)
+		{
+			cLog(lsWARNING) << "Ledger " << ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1 << " missing";
+			mCompleteLedgers.clearValue(ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1);
+		}
+		else if (prevLedger->getHash() != ledger->getParentHash())
 		{
 			cLog(lsWARNING) << "Ledger " << ledger->getLedgerSeq() << " invalidates prior ledger";
 			mCompleteLedgers.clearValue(prevLedger->getLedgerSeq());
@@ -171,7 +187,7 @@ void LedgerMaster::setFullLedger(Ledger::ref ledger)
 	if (mMissingLedger && mMissingLedger->isComplete())
 		mMissingLedger.reset();
 
-	if (mMissingLedger || !theConfig.FULL_HISTORY)
+	if (mMissingLedger || !theConfig.LEDGER_HISTORY)
 		return;
 
 	if (Ledger::getPendingSaves() > 3)
@@ -183,13 +199,17 @@ void LedgerMaster::setFullLedger(Ledger::ref ledger)
 	// see if there's a ledger gap we need to fill
 	if (!mCompleteLedgers.hasValue(ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1))
 	{
+		if (!shouldAcquire(mCurrentLedger->getLedgerSeq(), theConfig.LEDGER_HISTORY, ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1))
+			return;
 		cLog(lsINFO) << "We need the ledger before the ledger we just accepted";
 		acquireMissingLedger(ledger->getParentHash(), ledger->getLedgerSeq() - 1);
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		uint32 prevMissing = mCompleteLedgers.prevMissing(ledger->getLedgerSeq());
-		if (prevMissing != RangeSet::RangeSetAbsent)
+		if (prevMissing == RangeSet::RangeSetAbsent)
+			return;
+		if (shouldAcquire(mCurrentLedger->getLedgerSeq(), theConfig.LEDGER_HISTORY, prevMissing))
 		{
 			cLog(lsINFO) << "Ledger " << prevMissing << " is missing";
 			assert(!mCompleteLedgers.hasValue(prevMissing));