diff --git a/membership.ml b/membership.ml
--- a/membership.ml
+++ b/membership.ml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ exception Lookup_failure of string
 exception Malformed_entry of string
 exception Empty_line
 
-let membership = ref ([| |],-1.)
+let membership = ref ([| |],-1.,-1.)
 
 let whitespace = Str.regexp "[ \t]+"
 
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ let get_mtime fname =
       Unix.Unix_error _ -> None
 
 let load_membership fname = 
+  let time_now = Unix.time () in
   let file = open_in fname in
   protect ~f:(fun () -> 
 		let mshp = load_membership_file file in
@@ -169,12 +170,12 @@ let load_membership fname =
 		      plerror 2 "%s" 
 			("Unable to get mtime for membership. " ^
 			 "Failed to reload.")
-		  | Some mtime -> membership := (mshp,mtime)
+		  | Some mtime -> membership := (mshp,mtime,time_now)
 	     )
     ~finally:(fun () -> close_in file)
 
 let membership_string () = 
-  let (mshp,_) = !membership in
+  let (mshp,_,_) = !membership in
   let to_string (addr_list,str) =
     String.concat " " (
       "(" :: (
@@ -185,9 +186,19 @@ let membership_string () =
   "Membership: " ^ String.concat ~sep:", " strings
     
 
+let reload_if_old () =
+  let (mshp,_,last_loaded) = !membership in
+  let age = Unix.time () -. last_loaded in
+  if age > !Settings.membership_reload_time then
+    ( let fname = Lazy.force Settings.membership_file in
+      load_membership fname;
+      plerror 5 "%s" (membership_string ())
+    )
+
 let reload_if_changed () = 
+  reload_if_old ();
   let fname = Lazy.force Settings.membership_file in
-  let (mshp,old_mtime) = !membership in
+  let (mshp,old_mtime,_) = !membership in
   match get_mtime fname with
     | None -> 
 	plerror 2 "%s" ("Unable to get mtime for membership file. " ^
@@ -202,7 +213,7 @@ let get_names () =
   let mshp = 
     if Sys.file_exists (Lazy.force Settings.membership_file) then (
       reload_if_changed ();
-      let (m,mtime) = !membership in 
+      let (m,mtime,ltime) = !membership in 
       m
     )
     else [| |]
@@ -211,14 +222,14 @@ let get_names () =
 
 
 let reset_membership_time () =
-  let (m,mtime) = !membership in
-  membership := (m,0.)
+  let (m,mtime,ltime) = !membership in
+  membership := (m,0.,0.)
 
 let get () = 
   let mshp = 
     if Sys.file_exists (Lazy.force Settings.membership_file) then (
       reload_if_changed ();
-      let (m,mtime) = !membership in 
+      let (m,mtime,ltime) = !membership in 
       m
     )
     else [| |]
@@ -238,7 +249,7 @@ let ipmatch_ip_in_socklist ip1 sockaddr_
 
 let test addr = 
   reload_if_changed ();
-  let (m,mtime) = !membership in
+  let (m,mtime,ltime) = !membership in
   let ip = match inet_addr_of_sockaddr addr with
     | None -> assert false
     | Some x -> x
@@ -282,7 +293,7 @@ let load_mailsync_partners fname =
 
 let reload_mailsync_if_changed () = 
   let fname = Lazy.force Settings.mailsync_file in
-  let (mshp,old_mtime) = !membership in
+  let (_,old_mtime) = !mailsync_partners in
   match get_mtime fname with
       None -> plerror 2 "%s" 
 	("Failed to find mtime, can't decide whether to" ^