diff --git a/wetb/hawc2/simulation.py b/wetb/hawc2/simulation.py
index c45a87def9603e9ed9e0ed7ae5f7fdaa14fc8aa4..aae4a60932023bf471ce231ad0806dc34101fc11 100755
--- a/wetb/hawc2/simulation.py
+++ b/wetb/hawc2/simulation.py
@@ -108,10 +108,11 @@ class Simulation(object):
         self.host = LocalSimulationHost(self)
 
 
-    def start(self, auto_status_update=True):
+    def start(self, update_interval=1):
         """Start non blocking distributed simulation"""
         self.is_simulating = True
-        if auto_status_update:
+        if update_interval > 0:
+            self.updateStatusThread.interval = update_interval
             self.updateStatusThread.start()
         self.non_blocking_simulation_thread.start()