diff --git a/minode/sql.py b/minode/sql.py
index 3557844..cf69faf 100644
--- a/minode/sql.py
+++ b/minode/sql.py
@@ -32,17 +32,17 @@ class Inventory():
         COMMIT;
         """)
         self.rowid = len(self) or None
-        cur = self._db.cursor()
-        cur.execute("SELECT value FROM status WHERE key='lastvacuumtime'")
-        now = int(time.time())
         try:
-            vacuumed = cur.fetchone()[0]
+            self.lastvacuumtime = self._db.execute(
+                "SELECT value FROM status WHERE key='lastvacuumtime'"
+            ).fetchone()[0]
         except TypeError:
-            pass
-        else:
-            if vacuumed < now - 86400:  # 24 hours
-                cur.execute('VACUUM')
-        cur.execute("INSERT INTO status VALUES ('lastvacuumtime', ?)", (now,))
+            self.lastvacuumtime = int(time.time())
+            self._db.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO status VALUES ('lastvacuumtime', ?)",
+                (self.lastvacuumtime,)
+            )
+
         self._db.commit()
         self._db.row_factory = self.__object
 
@@ -61,24 +61,24 @@ class Inventory():
                 'Not cleaning up, %s objects pending', len(self._pending))
             return
         with self._lock:
+            now = int(time.time())
             cur = self._db.execute(
-                'DELETE FROM objects WHERE expires < ?',
-                (int(time.time()) - 3 * 3600,)
-            )
+                'DELETE FROM objects WHERE expires < ?', (now - 3 * 3600,))
             self._db.commit()
             self._deleted += cur.rowcount
-            # conditional vacuum and validity check
-            if self._deleted > 10000:
+            logging.info(
+                'Deleted %s expired objects, %s pending',
+                cur.rowcount, len(self._pending))
+            # conditional vacuum and validity check (TODO)
+            # every 24 hours or after deleting a lot of items
+            if self._deleted > 10000 or self.lastvacuumtime < now - 86400:
                 logging.info('Doing VACUUM for objects')
                 cur.execute('VACUUM')
                 cur.execute(
-                    "INSERT INTO status VALUES ('lastvacuumtime', ?)",
-                    (int(time.time()),))
+                    "INSERT INTO status VALUES ('lastvacuumtime', ?)", (now,))
                 self._db.commit()
                 self._deleted = 0
-        logging.info(
-            'Deleted %s expired objects, %s pending',
-            cur.rowcount, len(self._pending))
+                self.lastvacuumtime = now
 
     def filter(self, stream=None, object_type=None, tag=None):
         clauses = []