diff --git a/cmd/drone-server/config/config.go b/cmd/drone-server/config/config.go
index 2b683a4e4..26c7d998c 100644
--- a/cmd/drone-server/config/config.go
+++ b/cmd/drone-server/config/config.go
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ type (
 		Interval time.Duration `envconfig:"DRONE_CLEANUP_INTERVAL"         default:"24h"`
 		Running  time.Duration `envconfig:"DRONE_CLEANUP_DEADLINE_RUNNING" default:"24h"`
 		Pending  time.Duration `envconfig:"DRONE_CLEANUP_DEADLINE_PENDING" default:"24h"`
+		Buffer   time.Duration `envconfig:"DRONE_CLEANUP_BUFFER" default:"30m"`
 	}
 
 	// Cron provides the cron configuration.
diff --git a/cmd/drone-server/inject_service.go b/cmd/drone-server/inject_service.go
index 6a3302235..25c9b8eb8 100644
--- a/cmd/drone-server/inject_service.go
+++ b/cmd/drone-server/inject_service.go
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ func provideReaper(
 		canceler,
 		config.Cleanup.Running,
 		config.Cleanup.Pending,
+		config.Cleanup.Buffer,
 	)
 }
 
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ func provideDatadog(
 			EnableStash:     config.IsStash(),
 			EnableGogs:      config.IsGogs(),
 			EnableGitea:     config.IsGitea(),
-			EnableGitee:	 config.IsGitee(),
+			EnableGitee:     config.IsGitee(),
 			EnableAgents:    !config.Agent.Disabled,
 		},
 	)
diff --git a/service/canceler/reaper/reaper.go b/service/canceler/reaper/reaper.go
index 40908c9d7..9de39b11d 100644
--- a/service/canceler/reaper/reaper.go
+++ b/service/canceler/reaper/reaper.go
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ type Reaper struct {
 	Canceler core.Canceler
 	Pending  time.Duration // Pending is the pending pipeline deadline
 	Running  time.Duration // Running is the running pipeline deadline
+
+	// Buffer is applied when calculating whether or not the timeout
+	// period is exceeded. The added buffer helps prevent false positives.
+	Buffer time.Duration
 }
 
 // New returns a new Reaper.
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ func New(
 	canceler core.Canceler,
 	running time.Duration,
 	pending time.Duration,
+	buffer time.Duration,
 ) *Reaper {
 	if running == 0 {
 		running = time.Hour * 24
@@ -51,6 +56,10 @@ func New(
 	if pending == 0 {
 		pending = time.Hour * 24
 	}
+
+	if buffer == 0 {
+		buffer = time.Minute * 30
+	}
 	return &Reaper{
 		Repos:    repos,
 		Builds:   builds,
@@ -58,6 +67,7 @@ func New(
 		Canceler: canceler,
 		Pending:  pending,
 		Running:  running,
+		Buffer:   buffer,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -105,7 +115,7 @@ func (r *Reaper) reap(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		// if a build is pending for longer than the maximum
 		// pending time limit, the build is maybe cancelled.
-		if isExceeded(build.Created, r.Pending, buffer) {
+		if isExceeded(build.Created, r.Pending, r.Buffer) {
 			logger.Traceln("reaper: cancel build: time limit exceeded")
 			err = r.reapMaybe(ctx, build)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -134,7 +144,7 @@ func (r *Reaper) reap(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		// if a build is running for longer than the maximum
 		// running time limit, the build is maybe cancelled.
-		if isExceeded(build.Started, r.Running, buffer) {
+		if isExceeded(build.Started, r.Running, r.Buffer) {
 			logger.Traceln("reaper: cancel build: time limit exceeded")
 
 			err = r.reapMaybe(ctx, build)
@@ -188,7 +198,7 @@ func (r *Reaper) reapMaybe(ctx context.Context, build *core.Build) error {
 
 	// if the build stage has exceeded the timeout by a reasonable
 	// margin cancel the build and all build stages, else ignore.
-	if isExceeded(started, time.Duration(repo.Timeout)*time.Minute, buffer) {
+	if isExceeded(started, time.Duration(repo.Timeout)*time.Minute, r.Buffer) {
 		// TODO trace log entry
 		return r.Canceler.Cancel(ctx, repo, build)
 	}
diff --git a/service/canceler/reaper/reaper_test.go b/service/canceler/reaper/reaper_test.go
index 0261baefb..b98ea934e 100644
--- a/service/canceler/reaper/reaper_test.go
+++ b/service/canceler/reaper/reaper_test.go
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ func TestReapPending(t *testing.T) {
 		canceler,
 		time.Hour*24,
 		time.Hour*24,
+		time.Minute*30,
 	)
 
 	r.reap(nocontext)
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ func TestReapRunning(t *testing.T) {
 		canceler,
 		time.Hour*24,
 		time.Hour*24,
+		time.Minute*30,
 	)
 
 	r.reap(nocontext)
diff --git a/service/canceler/reaper/util.go b/service/canceler/reaper/util.go
index afdbc16be..5bf710f29 100644
--- a/service/canceler/reaper/util.go
+++ b/service/canceler/reaper/util.go
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ package reaper
 
 import "time"
 
-// buffer is applied when calculating whether or not the timeout
-// period is exceeded. The added buffer helps prevent false positives.
-var buffer = time.Minute * 30
-
 // helper function returns the current time.
 var now = time.Now