diff --git a/openjpa-lib/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/Options.java b/openjpa-lib/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/Options.java
index 73a6061411..2e9007cd35 100644
--- a/openjpa-lib/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/Options.java
+++ b/openjpa-lib/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/Options.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.security.AccessController;
 import java.security.PrivilegedActionException;
+import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -428,6 +429,11 @@ private Object stringToObject(String str, Class<?> type) throws Exception {
                 if (type == primWrapper[0])
                     return stringToObject(str, (Class<?>) primWrapper[1]);
 
+        // special case for Durations
+        if (type == Duration.class) {
+            return Duration.ofMillis(Long.valueOf(str));
+        }
+
         // look for a string constructor
         Exception err = null;
         try {
@@ -627,7 +633,7 @@ public String removeProperty(String key, String key2, String def) {
      */
     private static class EmptyOptions extends Options {
 
-        
+
         private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
         @Override
diff --git a/openjpa-lib/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/TestOptions.java b/openjpa-lib/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/TestOptions.java
index c1ae1a7363..0bd23f492e 100644
--- a/openjpa-lib/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/TestOptions.java
+++ b/openjpa-lib/src/test/java/org/apache/openjpa/lib/util/TestOptions.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.openjpa.lib.util;
 
+import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -103,9 +104,11 @@ public void testSetObject() {
         inner = new Inner();
         opts = new Options();
         opts.setProperty("mixed", "STR,1");
+        opts.setProperty("maxWait", "10000");
         opts.setInto(inner);
         assertEquals(1, inner.getInt());
         assertEquals("STR", inner.getString());
+        assertEquals(10_000, inner.getMaxWait().toMillis());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -124,6 +127,7 @@ public static class Inner {
         private Inner _nullInner = null;
         private int[] _range1 = new int[2];
         private int[] _range2 = new int[2];
+        private Duration _maxWait = Duration.ofMillis(-1);
 
         public Inner() {
         }
@@ -200,6 +204,14 @@ public Inner getNullInner() {
         public void setNullInner(Inner in) {
             _nullInner = in;
         }
+
+        public Duration getMaxWait() {
+            return _maxWait;
+        }
+
+        public void setMaxWait(Duration dur) {
+            _maxWait = dur;
+        }
     }
 
     /**