--- zabbix-1.8.12/src/zabbix_server/housekeeper/housekeeper.c   2012-04-24 18:33:09.000000000 +1000
+++ zabbix-1.8.12-mach/src/zabbix_server/housekeeper/housekeeper.c  2012-11-22 22:12:19.771216784 +1000
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@
    const char  *__function_name = "delete_history";
    DB_RESULT       result;
    DB_ROW          row;
-   int             min_clock, deleted;
+   int             min_clock, deleted, limited_delete = 1;

    zabbix_log(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "In %s() table:'%s' itemid:" ZBX_FS_UI64 " keep_history:%d now:%d",
        __function_name, table, itemid, keep_history, now);
@@ -283,7 +283,16 @@
    min_clock = MIN(now - keep_history * SEC_PER_DAY, min_clock + 4 * CONFIG_HOUSEKEEPING_FREQUENCY * SEC_PER_HOUR);
    DBfree_result(result);

-   deleted = DBexecute("delete from %s where itemid=" ZBX_FS_UI64 " and clock<%d", table, itemid, min_clock);
+    if (0 == CONFIG_MAX_HOUSEKEEPER_DELETE) {
+       deleted = DBexecute("delete from %s where itemid=" ZBX_FS_UI64 " and clock<%d", table, itemid, min_clock);
+    } else {
+        do {
+           limited_delete = DBexecute("delete from %s"
+                                       " where itemid=" ZBX_FS_UI64 " and clock<%d limit %d",
+                                       table, itemid, min_clock, CONFIG_MAX_HOUSEKEEPER_DELETE);
+            deleted += limited_delete;
+        } while (limited_delete > 0);
+    }

    zabbix_log(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "End of %s():%d", __function_name, deleted);