diff --git a/models/forms/banposter.js b/models/forms/banposter.js
index de86ea11..98919743 100644
--- a/models/forms/banposter.js
+++ b/models/forms/banposter.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const { Bans } = require(__dirname+'/../../db/')
 module.exports = async (req, res, next) => {
 
 	const banDate = new Date();
-	const banExpiry = new Date(req.body.ban_duration ? banDate.getTime() + req.body.ban_duration : defaultBanDuration); //perm if none or malformed input
+	const banExpiry = new Date(banDate.getTime() + (req.body.ban_duration || defaultBanDuration)); //uses config default if missing or malformed
 	const banReason = req.body.ban_reason || req.body.log_message || 'No reason specified';
 	const allowAppeal = (req.body.no_appeal || req.body.ban_q || req.body.ban_h) ? false : true; //dont allow appeals for range bans