diff --git a/inc/anti-bot.php b/inc/anti-bot.php
index e2687148..d41be3e0 100644
--- a/inc/anti-bot.php
+++ b/inc/anti-bot.php
@@ -196,9 +196,9 @@ function _create_antibot($board, $thread) {
 	$antibot = new AntiBot(array($board, $thread));
 
 	// Delete old expired antispam, skipping those with NULL expiration timestamps (infinite lifetime).
-	if (!isset($purged_old_antispam)) {
+	if (!isset($purged_old_antispam) && $config['auto_maintenance']) {
 		$purged_old_antispam = true;
-		query('DELETE FROM ``antispam`` WHERE `expires` < UNIX_TIMESTAMP()') or error(db_error());
+		purge_old_antispam();
 	}
 
 	// Keep the now invalid timestamps around for a bit to enable users to post if they're still on an old version of
@@ -224,3 +224,9 @@ function _create_antibot($board, $thread) {
 
 	return $antibot;
 }
+
+function purge_old_antispam() {
+	$query = prepare('DELETE FROM ``antispam`` WHERE `expires` < UNIX_TIMESTAMP()');
+	$query->execute() or error(db_error());
+	return $query->rowCount();
+}