diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py b/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
index b6bf651ed..12d00547a 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
             fileobj: The file object to write the answer to.
             filename: A path to write the data to.
             auto_remove: Whether to remove the download even if
-                         ui -> remove-finished-downloads is set to false.
+                         ui -> remove-finished-downloads is set to -1.
 
         Return:
             The created DownloadItem.
@@ -790,9 +790,10 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
         download = DownloadItem(reply, self._win_id, self)
         download.cancelled.connect(
             functools.partial(self.remove_item, download))
-        if config.get('ui', 'remove-finished-downloads') or auto_remove:
+        delay = config.get('ui', 'remove-finished-downloads')
+        if delay > -1 or auto_remove:
             download.finished.connect(
-                functools.partial(self.remove_item, download))
+                functools.partial(self.remove_item_delayed, download, delay))
         download.data_changed.connect(
             functools.partial(self.on_data_changed, download))
         download.error.connect(self.on_error)
@@ -1011,6 +1012,12 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
         if not self.downloads:
             self._update_timer.stop()
 
+
+    def remove_item_delayed(self, download, delay):
+        """Remove a given download after a short delay."""
+        QTimer.singleShot(delay, functools.partial(self.remove_item, download))
+
+
     def remove_items(self, downloads):
         """Remove an iterable of downloads."""
         # On the first pass, we only generate the indices so we get the
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index f4fe2b1a1..a5d4c00b8 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -291,8 +291,9 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              "Whether to enable smooth scrolling for webpages."),
 
             ('remove-finished-downloads',
-             SettingValue(typ.Bool(), 'false'),
-             "Whether to remove finished downloads automatically."),
+             SettingValue(typ.Int(minval=-1), '-1'),
+             "Number of milliseconds to wait before removing finished "
+             "downloads. Will not be removed if value is -1."),
 
             ('hide-statusbar',
              SettingValue(typ.Bool(), 'false'),