diff --git a/docs/_posts/2019-04-29-v4.7.0.md b/docs/_posts/2019-04-29-v4.7.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cfd77861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/_posts/2019-04-29-v4.7.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+layout: changelog
+---
+
+* Adds ability to configure the lifetime of conversation data in the cache using the
+  `HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS` environment variable (#560) thanks @aoberoi
diff --git a/docs/_posts/2019-04-30-v4.7.1.md b/docs/_posts/2019-04-30-v4.7.1.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..649187cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/_posts/2019-04-30-v4.7.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+layout: changelog
+---
+
+* Fixes an issue parsing the `HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS` as a number (#562) thanks @aoberoi and @mistydemeo
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index be5b0014..f71c06de 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "hubot-slack",
-  "version": "4.6.0",
+  "version": "4.7.1",
   "description": "A Slack adapter for hubot",
   "main": "./slack",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/client.coffee b/src/client.coffee
index 92d70982..53a1698d 100644
--- a/src/client.coffee
+++ b/src/client.coffee
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@ class SlackClient
   ###
   @PAGE_SIZE = 100
 
+  ###*
+  # Number of milliseconds which the information returned by `conversations.info` is considered to be valid. The default
+  # value is 5 minutes, and it can be customized by setting the `HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS` environment
+  # variable. Setting this number higher will reduce the number of requests made to the Web API, which may be helpful if
+  # your Hubot is experiencing rate limiting errors. However, setting this number too high will result in stale data
+  # being referenced, and your scripts may experience errors related to channel info (like the name) being incorrect
+  # after a user changes it in Slack.
+  # @private
+  ###
+  @CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS =
+    if process.env.HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS
+    then parseInt(process.env.HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS, 10)
+    else (5 * 60 * 1000)
+
   ###*
   # @constructor
   # @param {Object} options - Configuration options for this SlackClient instance
@@ -241,8 +255,8 @@ class SlackClient
   # @public
   ###
   fetchConversation: (conversationId) ->
-    # Current date minus 5 minutes (time of expiration for conversation info)
-    expiration = Date.now() - (5 * 60 * 1000)
+    # Current date minus time of expiration for conversation info
+    expiration = Date.now() - SlackClient.CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS
 
     # Check whether conversation is held in client's channelData map and whether information is expired
     return Promise.resolve(@channelData[conversationId].channel) if @channelData[conversationId]?.channel? and
@@ -387,4 +401,7 @@ class SlackClient
 # @param {Array<SlackUserInfo>} results.members
 ###
 
+if SlackClient.CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS is NaN
+  throw new Error('HUBOT_SLACK_CONVERSATION_CACHE_TTL_MS must be a number. It could not be parsed.')
+
 module.exports = SlackClient