diff --git a/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/CookieSerializer.java b/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/CookieSerializer.java
index d0e2f4ee..f05bb29a 100644
--- a/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/CookieSerializer.java
+++ b/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/CookieSerializer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2014-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2014-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -55,13 +55,19 @@ public interface CookieSerializer {
 	 * {@link HttpServletResponse}.
 	 *
 	 * @author Rob Winch
+	 * @author Vedran Pavic
 	 * @since 1.1
 	 */
 	class CookieValue {
+
 		private final HttpServletRequest request;
+
 		private final HttpServletResponse response;
+
 		private final String cookieValue;
 
+		private int cookieMaxAge = -1;
+
 		/**
 		 * Creates a new instance.
 		 *
@@ -72,11 +78,14 @@ public interface CookieSerializer {
 		 * modified by the {@link CookieSerializer} when writing to the actual cookie so
 		 * long as the original value is returned when the cookie is read.
 		 */
-		public CookieValue(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response,
+		CookieValue(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response,
 				String cookieValue) {
 			this.request = request;
 			this.response = response;
 			this.cookieValue = cookieValue;
+			if ("".equals(this.cookieValue)) {
+				this.cookieMaxAge = 0;
+			}
 		}
 
 		/**
@@ -105,5 +114,24 @@ public interface CookieSerializer {
 		public String getCookieValue() {
 			return this.cookieValue;
 		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Get the cookie max age. The default is -1 which signals to delete the cookie
+		 * when the browser is closed, or 0 if cookie value is empty.
+		 * @return the cookie max age
+		 */
+		public int getCookieMaxAge() {
+			return this.cookieMaxAge;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Set the cookie max age.
+		 * @param cookieMaxAge the cookie max age
+		 */
+		public void setCookieMaxAge(int cookieMaxAge) {
+			this.cookieMaxAge = cookieMaxAge;
+		}
+
 	}
+
 }
diff --git a/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializer.java b/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializer.java
index e8764c83..9aea6c06 100644
--- a/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializer.java
+++ b/spring-session-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializer.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class DefaultCookieSerializer implements CookieSerializer {
 
 	private String cookiePath;
 
-	private int cookieMaxAge = -1;
+	private Integer cookieMaxAge;
 
 	private String domainName;
 
@@ -112,18 +112,18 @@ public class DefaultCookieSerializer implements CookieSerializer {
 			sessionCookie.setHttpOnly(true);
 		}
 
-		if ("".equals(requestedCookieValue)) {
-			sessionCookie.setMaxAge(0);
-		}
-		else if (this.rememberMeRequestAttribute != null
-				&& request.getAttribute(this.rememberMeRequestAttribute) != null) {
-			// the cookie is only written at time of session creation, so we rely on
-			// session expiration rather than cookie expiration if remember me is enabled
-			sessionCookie.setMaxAge(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
-		}
-		else {
-			sessionCookie.setMaxAge(this.cookieMaxAge);
+		if (cookieValue.getCookieMaxAge() < 0) {
+			if (this.rememberMeRequestAttribute != null
+					&& request.getAttribute(this.rememberMeRequestAttribute) != null) {
+				// the cookie is only written at time of session creation, so we rely on
+				// session expiration rather than cookie expiration if remember me is enabled
+				cookieValue.setCookieMaxAge(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
+			}
+			else if (this.cookieMaxAge != null) {
+				cookieValue.setCookieMaxAge(this.cookieMaxAge);
+			}
 		}
+		sessionCookie.setMaxAge(cookieValue.getCookieMaxAge());
 
 		response.addCookie(sessionCookie);
 	}
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ public class DefaultCookieSerializer implements CookieSerializer {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Sets the maxAge property of the Cookie. The default is -1 which signals to delete
-	 * the cookie when the browser is closed.
+	 * Sets the maxAge property of the Cookie. The default is to delete the cookie when
+	 * the browser is closed.
 	 *
 	 * @param cookieMaxAge the maxAge property of the Cookie
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-session-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializerTests.java b/spring-session-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializerTests.java
index f83d3b42..2efabb3d 100644
--- a/spring-session-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-session-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/session/web/http/DefaultCookieSerializerTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2014-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2014-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -343,6 +343,16 @@ public class DefaultCookieSerializerTests {
 		assertThat(getCookie().getMaxAge()).isEqualTo(0);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void writeCookieCookieMaxAgeExplicitCookieValue() {
+		CookieValue cookieValue = cookieValue(this.sessionId);
+		cookieValue.setCookieMaxAge(100);
+
+		this.serializer.writeCookieValue(cookieValue);
+
+		assertThat(getCookie().getMaxAge()).isEqualTo(100);
+	}
+
 	// --- secure ---
 
 	@Test
@@ -443,6 +453,17 @@ public class DefaultCookieSerializerTests {
 		assertThat(getCookie().getMaxAge()).isEqualTo(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void writeCookieRememberMeCookieMaxAgeOverride() {
+		this.request.setAttribute("rememberMe", true);
+		this.serializer.setRememberMeRequestAttribute("rememberMe");
+		CookieValue cookieValue = cookieValue(this.sessionId);
+		cookieValue.setCookieMaxAge(100);
+		this.serializer.writeCookieValue(cookieValue);
+
+		assertThat(getCookie().getMaxAge()).isEqualTo(100);
+	}
+
 	public void setCookieName(String cookieName) {
 		this.cookieName = cookieName;
 		this.serializer.setCookieName(cookieName);