diff --git a/lib/core/option.py b/lib/core/option.py
index d83b05eca..b0005901e 100644
--- a/lib/core/option.py
+++ b/lib/core/option.py
@@ -1203,7 +1203,11 @@ def __cleanupOptions():
     if conf.data:
         conf.data = urldecode(conf.data)
 
-    kb.adjustTimeDelay = (conf.timeSec == TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY)
+    if conf.timeSec == TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY:
+        conf.timeSec = int(conf.timeSec)
+        kb.adjustTimeDelay = True
+    else:
+        kb.adjustTimeDelay = False
 
 def __setConfAttributes():
     """
diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index 409e5d11f..31001c716 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ UNION_STDEV_COEFF = 7
 # length of queue for candidates for time delay adjustment
 TIME_DELAY_CANDIDATES = 3
 
-# default time delay in seconds
-TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY = 5
+# default time delay in seconds (decimal places added to distinguish explicit usage of --time-sec)
+TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY = 5.0001
 
 # HTTP timeout in silent mode
 HTTP_SILENT_TIMEOUT = 3
diff --git a/lib/parse/cmdline.py b/lib/parse/cmdline.py
index 9582d75a9..28bb354f9 100644
--- a/lib/parse/cmdline.py
+++ b/lib/parse/cmdline.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ def cmdLineParser():
         techniques.add_option("--time-sec", dest="timeSec",
                               type="int", default=TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY,
                               help="Seconds to delay the DBMS response "
-                                   "(default 5)")
+                                   "(default %s)" % int(TIME_DEFAULT_DELAY))
 
         techniques.add_option("--union-cols", dest="uCols",
                               help="Range of columns to test for UNION query SQL injection")