diff --git a/fail2ban/server/banmanager.py b/fail2ban/server/banmanager.py
index 6da5366c..9aa69f5a 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/banmanager.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/banmanager.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class BanManager:
 		## Total number of banned IP address
 		self.__banTotal = 0
 		## The time for next unban process (for performance and load reasons):
-		self.__nextUnbanTime = 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFL
+		self.__nextUnbanTime = BanTicket.MAX_TIME
 	
 	##
 	# Set the ban time.
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class BanManager:
 
 			# Gets the list of ticket to remove (thereby correct next unban time).
 			unBanList = {}
-			self.__nextUnbanTime = 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFL
+			self.__nextUnbanTime = BanTicket.MAX_TIME
 			for fid,ticket in self.__banList.iteritems():
 				# current time greater as end of ban - timed out:
 				eob = ticket.getEndOfBanTime(self.__banTime)
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/ticket.py b/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
index 2f9a88ed..c7bb4d47 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/ticket.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ logSys = getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class Ticket(object):
+
+	MAX_TIME = 0X7FFFFFFFFFFF ;# 4461763-th year
 	
 	RESTORED = 0x01
 	BANNED   = 0x08
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ class Ticket(object):
 		bantime = (self._banTime if self._banTime is not None else defaultBT)
 		# permanent
 		if bantime == -1:
-			return 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFL
+			return Ticket.MAX_TIME
 		# unban time (end of ban):
 		return self._time + bantime