diff --git a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
index 52c5cd33dd..409c2b763c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/commands/start.ts
@@ -160,12 +160,10 @@ export class Start extends Command {
 				const dbType = await GenericHelpers.getConfigValue('database.type') as DatabaseType;
 
 				if (dbType === 'sqlite') {
-					const vacuumInterval = config.get('database.sqlite.vacuumInterval') as number;
-					if (vacuumInterval >= 0) {
+					const shouldRunVacuum = config.get('database.sqlite.executeVacuumOnStartup') as number;
+					if (shouldRunVacuum) {
+						console.log('ran vacuum');
 						Db.collections.Execution!.query("VACUUM;");
-						if (vacuumInterval > 0) {
-							setInterval(() => Db.collections.Execution!.query("VACUUM;"), vacuumInterval * 1000);
-						}
 					}
 				}
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/config/index.ts b/packages/cli/config/index.ts
index f8a348274a..05ef88771e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/config/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/config/index.ts
@@ -125,11 +125,11 @@ const config = convict({
 			},
 		},
 		sqlite: {
-			vacuumInterval: {
-				doc: 'SQLite Vacuum operation interval',
-				format: Number,
-				default: 86400, // Given in seconds; -1 disables. 0 executes only at startup.
-				env: 'DB_SQLITE_VACUUM_INTERVAL',	
+			executeVacuumOnStartup: {
+				doc: 'Runs VACUUM operation on startup to rebuild the database. Reduces filesize and optimizes indexes. WARNING: This is a long running blocking operation. Will increase boot time.',
+				format: Boolean,
+				default: false,
+				env: 'DB_SQLITE_VACUUM_ON_STARTUP',	
 			}, 
 		},
 	},