diff --git a/karton/system/system.py b/karton/system/system.py
index 3d6b14b..aec81fe 100644
--- a/karton/system/system.py
+++ b/karton/system/system.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class SystemService(KartonServiceBase):
     version = __version__
     with_service_info = True
 
+    CRASH_STARTED_TASKS_ON_TIMEOUT = False
     GC_INTERVAL = 3 * 60
     TASK_DISPATCHED_TIMEOUT = 24 * 3600
     TASK_STARTED_TIMEOUT = 24 * 3600
@@ -45,9 +46,31 @@ def __init__(self, config: Optional[Config]) -> None:
         )
         self.enable_gc = self.config.getboolean("system", "enable_gc", True)
         self.enable_router = self.config.getboolean("system", "enable_router", True)
+        self.crash_started_tasks_on_timeout = self.config.getboolean(
+            "system", "crash_started_tasks_on_timeout", False
+        )
 
         self.last_gc_trigger = time.time()
 
+    def _log_config(self):
+        self.log.info(
+            "Effective config:\n"
+            " gc_interval:\t%s\n"
+            " task_dispatched_timeout:\t%s\n"
+            " task_started_timeout:\t%s\n"
+            " task_crashed_timeout:\t%s\n"
+            " enable_gc:\t%s\n"
+            " enable_router:\t%s\n"
+            " crash_started_tasks_on_timeout:\t%s",
+            self.gc_interval,
+            self.task_dispatched_timeout,
+            self.task_started_timeout,
+            self.task_crashed_timeout,
+            self.enable_gc,
+            self.enable_router,
+            self.crash_started_tasks_on_timeout,
+        )
+
     def gc_collect_resources(self) -> None:
         # Collects unreferenced resources left in object storage
         karton_bucket = self.backend.default_bucket_name
@@ -68,6 +91,7 @@ def gc_collect_resources(self) -> None:
             self.backend.remove_objects(karton_bucket, resources_to_remove)
 
     def gc_collect_tasks(self) -> None:
+        self.log.debug("GC: gc_collect_tasks started")
         # Collects finished tasks
         root_tasks = set()
         running_root_tasks = set()
@@ -75,6 +99,7 @@ def gc_collect_tasks(self) -> None:
 
         current_time = time.time()
         to_delete = []
+        to_crash = []
 
         queues_to_clear = set()
         online_consumers = self.backend.get_online_consumers()
@@ -116,14 +141,24 @@ def gc_collect_tasks(self) -> None:
                 and task.last_update is not None
                 and current_time > task.last_update + self.task_started_timeout
             ):
-                to_delete.append(task)
-                self.log.error(
-                    "Task %s is in Started state more than %d seconds. "
-                    "Killed. (receiver: %s)",
-                    task.uid,
-                    self.task_started_timeout,
-                    task.headers.get("receiver", "<unknown>"),
-                )
+                if self.crash_started_tasks_on_timeout:
+                    to_crash.append(task)
+                    self.log.error(
+                        "Task %s is in Started state more than %d seconds. "
+                        "Crashed. (receiver: %s)",
+                        task.uid,
+                        self.task_started_timeout,
+                        task.headers.get("receiver", "<unknown>"),
+                    )
+                else:
+                    to_delete.append(task)
+                    self.log.error(
+                        "Task %s is in Started state more than %d seconds. "
+                        "Killed. (receiver: %s)",
+                        task.uid,
+                        self.task_started_timeout,
+                        task.headers.get("receiver", "<unknown>"),
+                    )
             elif task.status == TaskState.FINISHED:
                 to_delete.append(task)
                 self.log.debug("GC: Finished task %s", task.uid)
@@ -151,11 +186,26 @@ def gc_collect_tasks(self) -> None:
             self.backend.increment_metrics_list(
                 KartonMetrics.TASK_GARBAGE_COLLECTED, to_increment
             )
+        if to_crash:
+            to_increment = [
+                task.headers.get("receiver", "unknown") for task in to_crash
+            ]
+            for task in to_crash:
+                task.error = [
+                    "This task was STARTED too long (TASK_STARTED_TIMEOUT), "
+                    "so status was changes to CRASHED."
+                ]
+                self.backend.set_task_status(task, TaskState.CRASHED)
+            self.backend.increment_metrics_list(
+                KartonMetrics.TASK_CRASHED, to_increment
+            )
 
         for finished_root_task in root_tasks.difference(running_root_tasks):
             # TODO: Notification needed
             self.log.debug("GC: Finished root task %s", finished_root_task)
 
+        self.log.debug("GC: gc_collect_tasks ended")
+
     def gc_collect(self) -> None:
         if time.time() > (self.last_gc_trigger + self.gc_interval):
             try:
@@ -251,6 +301,7 @@ def process_routing(self) -> None:
                 self.handle_operations(bodies)
 
     def loop(self) -> None:
+        self._log_config()
         self.log.info("Manager %s started", self.identity)
 
         with self.graceful_killer():
@@ -288,7 +339,6 @@ def args_parser(cls) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser.add_argument(
             "--gc-interval",
             type=int,
-            default=cls.GC_INTERVAL,
             help="Garbage collection interval",
         )
         parser.add_argument(
@@ -304,16 +354,24 @@ def args_parser(cls) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser.add_argument(
             "--task-crashed-timeout", help="Timeout for tasks in Crashed state"
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--crash-started-task-on-timeout",
+            action="store_const",
+            dest="crash_started_tasks",
+            help="Crash Started tasks on timeout instead of deleting",
+        )
         return parser
 
     @classmethod
     def config_from_args(cls, config: Config, args: argparse.Namespace):
         super().config_from_args(config, args)
+
         config.load_from_dict(
             {
                 "system": {
                     "enable_gc": args.enable_gc,
                     "enable_router": args.enable_router,
+                    "crash_started_tasks_on_timeout": args.crash_started_tasks,
                     "gc_interval": args.gc_interval,
                     "task_dispatched_timeout": args.task_dispatched_timeout,
                     "task_started_timeout": args.task_started_timeout,