diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2540cd7..77cbf0c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ with their default values, if any:
 
   Maps to Kafka's `num.partitions` setting. The default number of log partitions
   per topic.
+
 - `KAFKA_AUTO_CREATE_TOPICS_ENABLE=true`
 
   Maps to Kafka's `auto.create.topics.enable`.
@@ -145,6 +146,10 @@ with their default values, if any:
 
   Maps to Kafka's `log.retention.hours`. The number of hours to keep a log file
   before deleting it.
+- `KAFKA_OFFSETS_RETENTION_MINUTES=1440`
+
+  Maps to Kafka's `offsets.retention.minutes`. The number of minutes to keep 
+  an offset for a consumer group before deleting it.
 - `JAVA_RMI_SERVER_HOSTNAME=$KAFKA_ADVERTISED_HOST_NAME`
 
   Maps to the `java.rmi.server.hostname` JVM property, which is used to bind the
diff --git a/config/server.properties.template b/config/server.properties.template
index 154cc60..2350c2e 100644
--- a/config/server.properties.template
+++ b/config/server.properties.template
@@ -74,5 +74,6 @@ controlled.shutdown.enable=true
 group.max.session.timeout.ms={{KAFKA_GROUP_MAX_SESSION_TIMEOUT_MS}}
 inter.broker.protocol.version={{KAFKA_INTER_BROKER_PROTOCOL_VERSION}}
 log.message.format.version={{KAFKA_LOG_MESSAGE_FORMAT_VERSION}}
+offsets.retention.minutes={{KAFKA_OFFSETS_RETENTION_MINUTES}}
 
 # vim:set filetype=jproperties
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 947b138..46cb6a7 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ cat /kafka/config/server.properties.template | sed \
   -e "s|{{KAFKA_INTER_BROKER_PROTOCOL_VERSION}}|${KAFKA_INTER_BROKER_PROTOCOL_VERSION:-$KAFKA_VERSION}|g" \
   -e "s|{{KAFKA_LOG_MESSAGE_FORMAT_VERSION}}|${KAFKA_LOG_MESSAGE_FORMAT_VERSION:-$KAFKA_VERSION}|g" \
   -e "s|{{KAFKA_LOG_RETENTION_HOURS}}|${KAFKA_LOG_RETENTION_HOURS:-168}|g" \
+  -e "s|{{KAFKA_OFFSETS_RETENTION_MINUTES}}|${KAFKA_OFFSETS_RETENTION_MINUTES:-1440}|g" \
   -e "s|{{KAFKA_NUM_PARTITIONS}}|${KAFKA_NUM_PARTITIONS:-1}|g" \
   -e "s|{{KAFKA_PORT}}|${KAFKA_PORT:-9092}|g" \
   -e "s|{{ZOOKEEPER_CHROOT}}|${ZOOKEEPER_CHROOT:-}|g" \