diff --git a/workers/queuecleanupworker.py b/workers/queuecleanupworker.py
index 8bd8713e3..2e453f3d0 100644
--- a/workers/queuecleanupworker.py
+++ b/workers/queuecleanupworker.py
@@ -21,11 +21,10 @@ class QueueCleanupWorker(Worker):
     """ Performs garbage collection on the queueitem table. """
     with UseThenDisconnect(app.config):
       while True:
-        # Find all queue items older than the threshold (typically a week) that have no additional
-        # retries and delete them.
+        # Find all queue items older than the threshold (typically a week) and delete them.
         threshold_ago = datetime.now() - DELETION_DATE_THRESHOLD
-        to_delete = list(QueueItem.select().where(QueueItem.processing_expires >= threshold_ago,
-                                                  QueueItem.retries_remaining == 0)
+        to_delete = list(QueueItem.select()
+                                  .where(QueueItem.processing_expires <= threshold_ago)
                                   .limit(BATCH_SIZE))
 
         if len(to_delete) < DELETION_COUNT_THRESHOLD: