diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
index 05e0490..8741505 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@
 	/* To whom we are allocated at the moment */
 	struct gsm_subscriber *subscr;
 
+	/* LU expiration handling */
+	uint8_t expire_timer_stopped;
+
 	/*
 	 * Operations that have a state and might be pending
 	 */
diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_subscriber.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_subscriber.h
index 78f9710..32e0a4e 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_subscriber.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_subscriber.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 int subscr_purge_inactive(struct gsm_network *net);
 void subscr_update_from_db(struct gsm_subscriber *subscr);
 void subscr_expire(struct gsm_network *net);
+int subscr_update_expire_lu(struct gsm_subscriber *subscr, struct gsm_bts *bts);
 
 /* internal */
 struct gsm_subscriber *subscr_alloc(void);
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
index 7f38be2..eea0736 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
@@ -829,6 +829,9 @@
 	struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn = data;
 	int rc = 0;
 
+	/* auth failed or succeeded, the timer was stopped */
+	conn->expire_timer_stopped = 1;
+
 	switch (event) {
 		case GSM_SECURITY_AUTH_FAILED:
 			/* Nothing to do */
@@ -930,6 +933,9 @@
 	memcpy(subscr->equipment.classmark2, classmark2, classmark2_len);
 	db_sync_equipment(&subscr->equipment);
 
+	/* we will send a MM message soon */
+	conn->expire_timer_stopped = 1;
+
 	return gsm48_secure_channel(conn, req->cipher_key_seq,
 			_gsm48_rx_mm_serv_req_sec_cb, NULL);
 }
@@ -1123,6 +1129,9 @@
 	memcpy(subscr->equipment.classmark2, classmark2_lv+1, *classmark2_lv);
 	db_sync_equipment(&subscr->equipment);
 
+	/* We received a paging */
+	conn->expire_timer_stopped = 1;
+
 	rc = gsm48_handle_paging_resp(conn, msg, subscr);
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_subscriber.c b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_subscriber.c
index 7ff4407..6abb0d8 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_subscriber.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_subscriber.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /* The concept of a subscriber for the MSC, roughly HLR/VLR functionality */
 
 /* (C) 2008 by Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
- * (C) 2009 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
+ * (C) 2009,2013 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
  *
  * All Rights Reserved
  *
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <openbsc/paging.h>
 #include <openbsc/signal.h>
 #include <openbsc/db.h>
+#include <openbsc/chan_alloc.h>
 
 void *tall_sub_req_ctx;
 
@@ -323,6 +324,21 @@
 	return db_get_subscriber(net, GSM_SUBSCRIBER_ID, buf);
 }
 
+int subscr_update_expire_lu(struct gsm_subscriber *s, struct gsm_bts *bts)
+{
+	int rc;
+
+	/* Table 10.5.33: The T3212 timeout value field is coded as the
+	 * binary representation of the timeout value for
+	 * periodic updating in decihours. Mark the subscriber as
+	 * inactive if it missed two consecutive location updates.
+	 * Timeout is twice the t3212 value plus one minute */
+	s->expire_lu = time(NULL) +
+			(bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212 * 60 * 6 * 2) + 60;
+	rc = db_sync_subscriber(s);
+	db_subscriber_update(s);
+	return rc;
+}
 
 int subscr_update(struct gsm_subscriber *s, struct gsm_bts *bts, int reason)
 {
@@ -335,24 +351,19 @@
 		/* Indicate "attached to LAC" */
 		s->lac = bts->location_area_code;
 
+		LOGP(DMM, LOGL_INFO, "Subscriber %s ATTACHED LAC=%u\n",
+			subscr_name(s), s->lac);
+
 		/* FIXME: We should allow 0 for T3212 as well to disable the
 		 * location update period. In that case we will need a way to
 		 * indicate that in the database and then reenable that value in
 		 * VTY.
 		 */
-
-		/* Table 10.5.33: The T3212 timeout value field is coded as the
-		 * binary representation of the timeout value for
-		 * periodic updating in decihours. Mark the subscriber as
-		 * inactive if it missed two consecutive location updates.
-		 * Timeout is twice the t3212 value plus one minute */
-		s->expire_lu = time(NULL) +
-			(bts->si_common.chan_desc.t3212 * 60 * 6 * 2) + 60;
-
-		LOGP(DMM, LOGL_INFO, "Subscriber %s ATTACHED LAC=%u\n",
-			subscr_name(s), s->lac);
-		rc = db_sync_subscriber(s);
-		db_subscriber_update(s);
+		/*
+		 * The below will set a new expire_lu but as a side-effect
+		 * the new lac will be saved in the database.
+		 */
+		rc = subscr_update_expire_lu(s, bts);
 		osmo_signal_dispatch(SS_SUBSCR, S_SUBSCR_ATTACHED, s);
 		break;
 	case GSM_SUBSCRIBER_UPDATE_DETACHED:
@@ -383,8 +394,23 @@
 static void subscr_expire_callback(void *data, long long unsigned int id)
 {
 	struct gsm_network *net = data;
-	struct gsm_subscriber *s =
-		subscr_get_by_id(net, id);
+	struct gsm_subscriber *s = subscr_get_by_id(net, id);
+	struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn = connection_for_subscr(s);
+
+	/*
+	 * The subscriber is active and the phone stopped the timer. As
+	 * we don't want to periodically update the database for active
+	 * subscribers we will just do it when the subscriber was selected
+	 * for expiration. This way on the next around another subscriber
+	 * will be selected.
+	 */
+	if (conn && conn->expire_timer_stopped) {
+		LOGP(DMM, LOGL_DEBUG, "Not expiring subscriber %s (ID %llu)\n",
+			subscr_name(s), id);
+		subscr_update_expire_lu(s, conn->bts);
+		return;
+	}
+
 
 	LOGP(DMM, LOGL_NOTICE, "Expiring inactive subscriber %s (ID %llu)\n",
 			subscr_name(s), id);
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libmsc/osmo_msc.c b/openbsc/src/libmsc/osmo_msc.c
index 452de62..31b72b9 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libmsc/osmo_msc.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libmsc/osmo_msc.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /* main MSC management code... */
 
 /*
- * (C) 2010 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
+ * (C) 2010,2013 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
  * (C) 2010 by On-Waves
  *
  * All Rights Reserved
@@ -158,6 +158,15 @@
 		return;
 
 	/* no more connections, asking to release the channel */
+
+	/*
+	 * We had stopped the LU expire timer T3212. Now we are about
+	 * to send the MS back to the idle state and this should lead
+	 * to restarting the timer. Set the new expiration time.
+	 */
+	if (conn->expire_timer_stopped)
+		subscr_update_expire_lu(conn->subscr, conn->bts);
+
 	conn->in_release = 1;
 	gsm0808_clear(conn);
 	if (conn->put_channel) {
diff --git a/openbsc/tests/channel/channel_test.c b/openbsc/tests/channel/channel_test.c
index 440e180..ab0d9eb 100644
--- a/openbsc/tests/channel/channel_test.c
+++ b/openbsc/tests/channel/channel_test.c
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
 void gsm48_secure_channel() {}
 void paging_request_stop() {}
 void vty_out() {}
+void* connection_for_subscr(void) { abort(); return NULL; }
 
 
 struct tlv_definition nm_att_tlvdef;