diff --git a/db/db_bench.cc b/db/db_bench.cc
index f8765638c..623c72ecb 100644
--- a/db/db_bench.cc
+++ b/db/db_bench.cc
@@ -167,6 +167,11 @@ static int FLAGS_readwritepercent = 90;
 // Option to disable compation triggered by read.
 static int FLAGS_disable_seek_compaction = false;
 
+// Option to delete obsolete files periodically
+// Default: 0 which means that obsolete files are
+// deleted after every compaction run.
+static uint64_t FLAGS_delete_obsolete_files_period_micros = 0;
+
 // Algorithm to use to compress the database
 static enum leveldb::CompressionType FLAGS_compression_type =
     leveldb::kSnappyCompression;
@@ -886,6 +891,8 @@ class Benchmark {
       FLAGS_level0_slowdown_writes_trigger;
     options.compression = FLAGS_compression_type;
     options.disable_seek_compaction = FLAGS_disable_seek_compaction;
+    options.delete_obsolete_files_period_micros =
+      FLAGS_delete_obsolete_files_period_micros;
     Status s = DB::Open(options, FLAGS_db, &db_);
     if (!s.ok()) {
       fprintf(stderr, "open error: %s\n", s.ToString().c_str());
@@ -1290,6 +1297,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--disable_seek_compaction=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1
         && (n == 0 || n == 1)) {
       FLAGS_disable_seek_compaction = n;
+    } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--delete_obsolete_files_period_micros=%ld%c",
+                      &l, &junk) == 1) {
+      FLAGS_delete_obsolete_files_period_micros = n;
     } else if (sscanf(argv[i], "--stats_interval=%d%c", &n, &junk) == 1 &&
                n >= 0 && n < 2000000000) {
       FLAGS_stats_interval = n;
diff --git a/db/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl.cc
index 2ed749909..07ff09688 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl.cc
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ DBImpl::DBImpl(const Options& options, const std::string& dbname)
       bg_logstats_scheduled_(false),
       manual_compaction_(NULL),
       logger_(NULL),
-      disable_delete_obsolete_files_(false) {
+      disable_delete_obsolete_files_(false),
+      delete_obsolete_files_last_run_(0) {
   mem_->Ref();
   has_imm_.Release_Store(NULL);
 
@@ -253,6 +254,18 @@ void DBImpl::DeleteObsoleteFiles() {
     return;
   }
 
+  // This method is costly when the number of files is large.
+  // Do not allow it to trigger more often than once in
+  // delete_obsolete_files_period_micros.
+  if (options_.delete_obsolete_files_period_micros != 0) {
+    const uint64_t now_micros = env_->NowMicros();
+    if (delete_obsolete_files_last_run_ + 
+        options_.delete_obsolete_files_period_micros > now_micros) {
+      return;
+    }
+    delete_obsolete_files_last_run_ = now_micros;
+  }
+
   // Make a set of all of the live files
   std::set<uint64_t> live = pending_outputs_;
   versions_->AddLiveFiles(&live);
diff --git a/db/db_impl.h b/db/db_impl.h
index eefb77deb..e08025eca 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.h
+++ b/db/db_impl.h
@@ -197,6 +197,9 @@ class DBImpl : public DB {
   // shall we disable deletion of obsolete files
   bool disable_delete_obsolete_files_;
 
+  // last time when DeleteObsoleteFiles was invoked
+  uint64_t delete_obsolete_files_last_run_;
+
   // Per level compaction stats.  stats_[level] stores the stats for
   // compactions that produced data for the specified "level".
   struct CompactionStats {
diff --git a/include/leveldb/options.h b/include/leveldb/options.h
index 95a22e6b5..da26cd440 100644
--- a/include/leveldb/options.h
+++ b/include/leveldb/options.h
@@ -240,6 +240,11 @@ struct Options {
   // (which is true if max_open_files is large).
   bool disable_seek_compaction;
 
+  // The periodicity when obsolete files get deleted. The default
+  // value is 0 which means that obsolete files get removed after
+  // every compaction run.
+  uint64_t delete_obsolete_files_period_micros;
+
   // Create an Options object with default values for all fields.
   Options();
 
diff --git a/util/options.cc b/util/options.cc
index f8c02df09..8078b4db1 100644
--- a/util/options.cc
+++ b/util/options.cc
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ Options::Options()
       use_fsync(false),
       db_stats_log_interval(1800),
       db_log_dir(""),
-      disable_seek_compaction(false) {
+      disable_seek_compaction(false),
+      delete_obsolete_files_period_micros(0) {
 }
 
 void