diff --git a/lscache.js b/lscache.js
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index ecd48f7..5dd229e
--- a/lscache.js
+++ b/lscache.js
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ var lscache = function() {
   // Prefix for all lscache keys
   var CACHE_PREFIX = 'lscache-';
 
+  // Default ttl if none specified
+  var DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 60 * 1000 * 5 // 5 minutes
+
   // Suffix for the key name on the expiration items in localStorage
   var CACHE_SUFFIX = '-cacheexpiration';
 
@@ -195,11 +198,15 @@ var lscache = function() {
       }
 
       // If a time is specified, store expiration info in localStorage
-      if (time) {
+      // If time is set to 0, make ttl forever (by not setting one)
+      // If time is not set, use DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
+      if (time && time != 0) {
         setItem(expirationKey(key), (currentTime() + time).toString(EXPIRY_RADIX));
-      } else {
+      } else if (time === 0){
         // In case they previously set a time, remove that info from localStorage.
         removeItem(expirationKey(key));
+      } else {
+        setItem(expirationKey(key), (currentTime() + DEFAULT_TIMEOUT).toString(EXPIRY_RADIX));
       }
     },
 
diff --git a/test.html b/test.html
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 033f9ae..651b3b2
--- a/test.html
+++ b/test.html
@@ -53,8 +53,28 @@
   value = {'name': 'Pamela', 'age': 26};
   lscache.set(key, value, 3);
   equals(lscache.get(key).name, value.name, 'We expect name to be ' + value.name);
+
+
+});
+
+test('Testing set with default ttl and no ttl', function() {
+
+  var CACHE_SUFFIX = '-cacheexpiration';
+
+  // no ttl, should use default
+  key = 'defaultttlkey';
+  value = 7
+  lscache.set(key, value)
+  ok(lscache.get(key+CACHE_SUFFIX), 'Key has a time to live value');
+
+  // 0 ttl, should not store a ttl (forever ttl)
+  key = 'foreverttlkey';
+  value = 99
+  lscache.set(key, value, 0)
+  equals(lscache.get(key+CACHE_SUFFIX), undefined, 'Key does not have a time to live');
 });
 
+
 test('Testing remove()', function() {
   var key = 'thekey';
   lscache.set(key, 'bla', 2);