diff --git a/rq/registry.py b/rq/registry.py
index a1b89b2..b4cf43f 100644
--- a/rq/registry.py
+++ b/rq/registry.py
@@ -8,9 +8,6 @@ class BaseRegistry(object):
     """
     Base implementation of job registry, implemented in Redis sorted set. Each job
     is stored as a key in the registry, scored by expiration time (unix timestamp).
-
-    Jobs with scores are lower than current time is considered "expired" and
-    should be cleaned up.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, name='default', connection=None):
@@ -27,9 +24,9 @@ class BaseRegistry(object):
         self.cleanup()
         return self.connection.zcard(self.key)
 
-    def add(self, job, timeout, pipeline=None):
-        """Adds a job to a registry with expiry time of now + timeout."""
-        score = timeout if timeout == -1 else current_timestamp() + timeout
+    def add(self, job, ttl, pipeline=None):
+        """Adds a job to a registry with expiry time of now + ttl."""
+        score = ttl if ttl < 0 else current_timestamp() + ttl
         if pipeline is not None:
             return pipeline.zadd(self.key, score, job.id)
 
@@ -39,10 +36,16 @@ class BaseRegistry(object):
         connection = pipeline if pipeline is not None else self.connection
         return connection.zrem(self.key, job.id)
 
-    def get_expired_job_ids(self):
-        """Returns job ids whose score are less than current timestamp."""
+    def get_expired_job_ids(self, timestamp=None):
+        """Returns job ids whose score are less than current timestamp.
+
+        Returns ids for jobs with an expiry time earlier than timestamp,
+        specified as seconds since the Unix epoch. timestamp defaults to call
+        time if unspecified.
+        """
+        score = timestamp if timestamp is not None else current_timestamp()
         return [as_text(job_id) for job_id in
-                self.connection.zrangebyscore(self.key, 0, current_timestamp())]
+                self.connection.zrangebyscore(self.key, 0, score)]
 
     def get_job_ids(self, start=0, end=-1):
         """Returns list of all job ids."""
@@ -59,24 +62,28 @@ class StartedJobRegistry(BaseRegistry):
 
     Jobs are added to registry right before they are executed and removed
     right after completion (success or failure).
-
-    Jobs whose score are lower than current time is considered "expired".
     """
 
     def __init__(self, name='default', connection=None):
         super(StartedJobRegistry, self).__init__(name, connection)
         self.key = 'rq:wip:%s' % name
 
-    def cleanup(self):
-        """Remove expired jobs from registry and add them to FailedQueue."""
-        job_ids = self.get_expired_job_ids()
+    def cleanup(self, timestamp=None):
+        """Remove expired jobs from registry and add them to FailedQueue.
+
+        Removes jobs with an expiry time earlier than timestamp, specified as
+        seconds since the Unix epoch. timestamp defaults to call time if
+        unspecified. Removed jobs are added to the global failed job queue.
+        """
+        score = timestamp if timestamp is not None else current_timestamp()
+        job_ids = self.get_expired_job_ids(score)
 
         if job_ids:
             failed_queue = FailedQueue(connection=self.connection)
             with self.connection.pipeline() as pipeline:
                 for job_id in job_ids:
                     failed_queue.push_job_id(job_id, pipeline=pipeline)
-                pipeline.zremrangebyscore(self.key, 0, current_timestamp())
+                pipeline.zremrangebyscore(self.key, 0, score)
                 pipeline.execute()
 
         return job_ids
@@ -92,6 +99,12 @@ class FinishedJobRegistry(BaseRegistry):
         super(FinishedJobRegistry, self).__init__(name, connection)
         self.key = 'rq:finished:%s' % name
 
-    def cleanup(self):
-        """Remove expired jobs from registry."""
-        self.connection.zremrangebyscore(self.key, 0, current_timestamp())
+    def cleanup(self, timestamp=None):
+        """Remove expired jobs from registry.
+
+        Removes jobs with an expiry time earlier than timestamp, specified as
+        seconds since the Unix epoch. timestamp defaults to call time if
+        unspecified.
+        """
+        score = timestamp if timestamp is not None else current_timestamp()
+        self.connection.zremrangebyscore(self.key, 0, score)
diff --git a/tests/test_registry.py b/tests/test_registry.py
index 36b9792..26470e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_registry.py
+++ b/tests/test_registry.py
@@ -48,14 +48,22 @@ class TestRegistry(RQTestCase):
 
         self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, 1, 'foo')
         self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, timestamp + 10, 'bar')
+        self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, timestamp + 30, 'baz')
 
         self.assertEqual(self.registry.get_expired_job_ids(), ['foo'])
+        self.assertEqual(self.registry.get_expired_job_ids(timestamp + 20),
+                         ['foo', 'bar'])
 
     def test_cleanup(self):
         """Moving expired jobs to FailedQueue."""
         failed_queue = FailedQueue(connection=self.testconn)
         self.assertTrue(failed_queue.is_empty())
-        self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, 1, 'foo')
+        self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, 2, 'foo')
+
+        self.registry.cleanup(1)
+        self.assertNotIn('foo', failed_queue.job_ids)
+        self.assertEqual(self.testconn.zscore(self.registry.key, 'foo'), 2)
+
         self.registry.cleanup()
         self.assertIn('foo', failed_queue.job_ids)
         self.assertEqual(self.testconn.zscore(self.registry.key, 'foo'), None)
@@ -103,9 +111,14 @@ class TestFinishedJobRegistry(RQTestCase):
         timestamp = current_timestamp()
         self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, 1, 'foo')
         self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, timestamp + 10, 'bar')
+        self.testconn.zadd(self.registry.key, timestamp + 30, 'baz')
 
         self.registry.cleanup()
-        self.assertEqual(self.registry.get_job_ids(), ['bar'])
+        self.assertEqual(self.registry.get_job_ids(), ['bar', 'baz'])
+
+        self.registry.cleanup(timestamp + 20)
+        self.assertEqual(self.registry.get_job_ids(), ['baz'])
+
 
     def test_jobs_are_put_in_registry(self):
         """Completed jobs are added to FinishedJobRegistry."""