diff --git a/cmd/prometheus/config.go b/cmd/prometheus/config.go
index f5c0015126..5e5f45c15b 100644
--- a/cmd/prometheus/config.go
+++ b/cmd/prometheus/config.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/notifier"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/promql"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage/tsdb"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/web"
 )
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ var cfg = struct {
 	notifierTimeout    time.Duration
 	queryEngine        promql.EngineOptions
 	web                web.Options
+	tsdb               tsdb.Options
 
 	alertmanagerURLs stringset
 	prometheusURL    string
@@ -116,6 +118,18 @@ func init() {
 		&cfg.localStoragePath, "storage.local.path", "data",
 		"Base path for metrics storage.",
 	)
+	cfg.fs.DurationVar(
+		&cfg.tsdb.MinBlockDuration, "storage.tsdb.min-block-duration", 2*time.Hour,
+		"Minimum duration of a data block before being persisted.",
+	)
+	cfg.fs.DurationVar(
+		&cfg.tsdb.MaxBlockDuration, "storage.tsdb.max-block-duration", 36*time.Hour,
+		"Maximum duration compacted blocks may span.",
+	)
+	cfg.fs.IntVar(
+		&cfg.tsdb.AppendableBlocks, "storage.tsdb.AppendableBlocks", 2,
+		"Number of head blocks that can be appended to.",
+	)
 
 	// Alertmanager.
 	cfg.fs.IntVar(
diff --git a/cmd/prometheus/main.go b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
index b89d9c23a8..ae5998eff6 100644
--- a/cmd/prometheus/main.go
+++ b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
@@ -78,11 +78,7 @@ func Main() int {
 		reloadables []Reloadable
 	)
 
-	localStorage, err := tsdb.Open(cfg.localStoragePath, &tsdb.Options{
-		MinBlockDuration: 2 * 60 * 60 * 1000,
-		MaxBlockDuration: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000,
-		AppendableBlocks: 2,
-	})
+	localStorage, err := tsdb.Open(cfg.localStoragePath, &cfg.tsdb)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Opening storage failed: %s", err)
 		return 1
diff --git a/storage/tsdb/tsdb.go b/storage/tsdb/tsdb.go
index b6552a7c66..c0dc0f96bf 100644
--- a/storage/tsdb/tsdb.go
+++ b/storage/tsdb/tsdb.go
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ type Options struct {
 
 	// The timestamp range of head blocks after which they get persisted.
 	// It's the minimum duration of any persisted block.
-	MinBlockDuration uint64
+	MinBlockDuration time.Duration
 
 	// The maximum timestamp range of compacted blocks.
-	MaxBlockDuration uint64
+	MaxBlockDuration time.Duration
 
 	// Number of head blocks that can be appended to.
 	// Should be two or higher to prevent write errors in general scenarios.
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ type Options struct {
 func Open(path string, opts *Options) (storage.Storage, error) {
 	db, err := tsdb.OpenPartitioned(path, 1, nil, &tsdb.Options{
 		WALFlushInterval: 10 * time.Second,
-		MinBlockDuration: opts.MinBlockDuration,
-		MaxBlockDuration: opts.MaxBlockDuration,
+		MinBlockDuration: uint64(opts.MinBlockDuration.Seconds() * 1000),
+		MaxBlockDuration: uint64(opts.MaxBlockDuration.Seconds() * 1000),
 		AppendableBlocks: opts.AppendableBlocks,
 	})
 	if err != nil {