diff --git a/src/borg/helpers/__init__.py b/src/borg/helpers/__init__.py
index ca19f5c89..751d79497 100644
--- a/src/borg/helpers/__init__.py
+++ b/src/borg/helpers/__init__.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from .misc import sysinfo, log_multi, consume
 from .misc import ChunkIteratorFileWrapper, open_item, chunkit, iter_separated, ErrorIgnoringTextIOWrapper
 from .parseformat import bin_to_hex, hex_to_bin, safe_encode, safe_decode
 from .parseformat import text_to_json, binary_to_json, remove_surrogates, join_cmd
-from .parseformat import eval_escapes, decode_dict, positive_int_validator, interval
+from .parseformat import eval_escapes, decode_dict, positive_int_validator, interval, int_or_interval
 from .parseformat import PathSpec, SortBySpec, ChunkerParams, FilesCacheMode, partial_format, DatetimeWrapper
 from .parseformat import format_file_size, parse_file_size, FileSize
 from .parseformat import sizeof_fmt, sizeof_fmt_iec, sizeof_fmt_decimal, Location, text_validator
diff --git a/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py b/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
index 193023df5..e7cc8d653 100644
--- a/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
+++ b/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import uuid
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import ClassVar, Any, TYPE_CHECKING, Literal
 from collections import OrderedDict
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
 from functools import partial
 from string import Formatter
 
@@ -155,12 +155,24 @@ def interval(s):
     except ValueError:
         seconds = -1
 
-    if seconds <= 0:
-        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(f'Invalid number "{number}": expected positive integer')
+    if seconds < 0:
+        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(f'Invalid number "{number}": expected nonnegative integer')
 
     return seconds
 
 
+def int_or_interval(s):
+    try:
+        return int(s)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+
+    try:
+        return timedelta(seconds=interval(s))
+    except argparse.ArgumentTypeError as e:
+        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(f"Value is neither an integer nor an interval: {e}")
+
+
 def ChunkerParams(s):
     params = s.strip().split(",")
     count = len(params)
diff --git a/src/borg/testsuite/helpers/parseformat_test.py b/src/borg/testsuite/helpers/parseformat_test.py
index 85600c819..0948151c7 100644
--- a/src/borg/testsuite/helpers/parseformat_test.py
+++ b/src/borg/testsuite/helpers/parseformat_test.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import base64
 import os
+import re
 from argparse import ArgumentTypeError
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ from ...helpers.parseformat import (
     format_file_size,
     parse_file_size,
     interval,
+    int_or_interval,
     partial_format,
     clean_lines,
     format_line,
@@ -376,6 +378,7 @@ def test_format_timedelta():
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "timeframe, num_secs",
     [
+        ("0S", 0),
         ("5S", 5),
         ("2M", 2 * 60),
         ("1H", 60 * 60),
@@ -392,9 +395,9 @@ def test_interval(timeframe, num_secs):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "invalid_interval, error_tuple",
     [
-        ("H", ('Invalid number "": expected positive integer',)),
-        ("-1d", ('Invalid number "-1": expected positive integer',)),
-        ("food", ('Invalid number "foo": expected positive integer',)),
+        ("H", ('Invalid number "": expected nonnegative integer',)),
+        ("-1d", ('Invalid number "-1": expected nonnegative integer',)),
+        ("food", ('Invalid number "foo": expected nonnegative integer',)),
     ],
 )
 def test_interval_time_unit(invalid_interval, error_tuple):
@@ -403,10 +406,49 @@ def test_interval_time_unit(invalid_interval, error_tuple):
     assert exc.value.args == error_tuple
 
 
-def test_interval_number():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "invalid_input, error_regex",
+    [
+        ("x", r'^Unexpected time unit "x": choose from'),
+        ("-1t", r'^Unexpected time unit "t": choose from'),
+        ("fool", r'^Unexpected time unit "l": choose from'),
+        ("abc", r'^Unexpected time unit "c": choose from'),
+        (" abc ", r'^Unexpected time unit " ": choose from'),
+    ],
+)
+def test_interval_invalid_time_format(invalid_input, error_regex):
     with pytest.raises(ArgumentTypeError) as exc:
-        interval("5")
-    assert exc.value.args == ('Unexpected time unit "5": choose from y, m, w, d, H, M, S',)
+        interval(invalid_input)
+    assert re.search(error_regex, exc.value.args[0])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "input, result",
+    [
+        ("0", 0),
+        ("5", 5),
+        (" 999 ", 999),
+        ("0S", timedelta(seconds=0)),
+        ("5S", timedelta(seconds=5)),
+        ("1m", timedelta(days=31)),
+    ],
+)
+def test_int_or_interval(input, result):
+    assert int_or_interval(input) == result
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "invalid_input, error_regex",
+    [
+        ("H", r"Value is neither an integer nor an interval:"),
+        ("-1d", r"Value is neither an integer nor an interval:"),
+        ("food", r"Value is neither an integer nor an interval:"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_int_or_interval_time_unit(invalid_input, error_regex):
+    with pytest.raises(ArgumentTypeError) as exc:
+        int_or_interval(invalid_input)
+    assert re.search(error_regex, exc.value.args[0])
 
 
 def test_parse_timestamp():