diff --git a/openbsc/src/libbsc/bsc_vty.c b/openbsc/src/libbsc/bsc_vty.c
index 75ef880..83d1575 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libbsc/bsc_vty.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libbsc/bsc_vty.c
@@ -490,9 +490,8 @@
 				(sp->penalty_time*20)+20, VTY_NEWLINE);
 	}
 
-	if (bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212)
-		vty_out(vty, "  periodic location update %u%s",
-			bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212 * 6, VTY_NEWLINE);
+	vty_out(vty, "  periodic location update %u%s",
+		bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212 * 6, VTY_NEWLINE);
 	vty_out(vty, "  channel allocator %s%s",
 		bts->chan_alloc_reverse ? "descending" : "ascending",
 		VTY_NEWLINE);
@@ -2018,7 +2017,7 @@
 }
 
 DEFUN(cfg_bts_per_loc_upd, cfg_bts_per_loc_upd_cmd,
-      "periodic location update <0-1530>",
+      "periodic location update <6-1530>",
       "Periodic Location Updating Interval\n"
       "Periodic Location Updating Interval\n"
       "Periodic Location Updating Interval\n"
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
index 352700a..4ccb820 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@
 	bts->si_common.chan_desc.att = 1; /* attachment required */
 	bts->si_common.chan_desc.bs_pa_mfrms = RSL_BS_PA_MFRMS_5; /* paging frames */
 	bts->si_common.chan_desc.bs_ag_blks_res = 1; /* reserved AGCH blocks */
+	bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212 = 5; /* Use 30 min periodic update interval as sane default */
 
 	llist_add_tail(&bts->list, &net->bts_list);