diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/resources/default.scala-steward.conf b/modules/core/src/main/resources/default.scala-steward.conf
index 5e0ef0c22b..45348f662e 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/resources/default.scala-steward.conf
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/resources/default.scala-steward.conf
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 //   Changes to this file are therefore immediately visible to all
 //   Scala Steward instances.
 
-lastCommitMaxAge = "540 days"
+inactivityThreshold = "270 days"
 
 postUpdateHooks = [
   {
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlg.scala b/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlg.scala
index ce59c1ecdb..abfdbaa695 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlg.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlg.scala
@@ -24,9 +24,12 @@ import org.scalasteward.core.data.{Dependency, DependencyInfo, Repo, RepoData}
 import org.scalasteward.core.forge.data.RepoOut
 import org.scalasteward.core.forge.{ForgeApiAlg, ForgeRepoAlg}
 import org.scalasteward.core.git.GitAlg
+import org.scalasteward.core.repocache.RepoCacheAlg.RepositoryInactive
 import org.scalasteward.core.repoconfig.RepoConfigAlg
-import org.scalasteward.core.util.{dateTime, DateTimeAlg}
+import org.scalasteward.core.util.DateTimeAlg
+import org.scalasteward.core.util.dateTime.showDuration
 import org.typelevel.log4cats.Logger
+import scala.concurrent.duration.FiniteDuration
 import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
 
 final class RepoCacheAlg[F[_]](config: Config)(implicit
@@ -89,14 +92,23 @@ final class RepoCacheAlg[F[_]](config: Config)(implicit
     gitAlg.findFilesContaining(repo, dependency.version.value).map(DependencyInfo(dependency, _))
 
   private[repocache] def throwIfInactive(data: RepoData): F[Unit] =
-    data.config.lastCommitMaxAge.traverse_ { maxAge =>
+    data.config.inactivityThreshold.traverse_ { threshold =>
       dateTimeAlg.currentTimestamp.flatMap { now =>
-        val sinceLastCommit = data.cache.commitDate.until(now)
-        val isInactive = sinceLastCommit > maxAge
-        F.raiseWhen(isInactive) {
-          val msg = s"Skipping because last commit is older than ${dateTime.showDuration(maxAge)}"
-          new Throwable(msg) with NoStackTrace
-        }
+        val inactiveSince = data.cache.commitDate.until(now)
+        val isInactive = inactiveSince > threshold
+        F.raiseWhen(isInactive)(RepositoryInactive(data.repo, inactiveSince, threshold))
       }
     }
 }
+
+object RepoCacheAlg {
+  final case class RepositoryInactive(
+      repo: Repo,
+      inactiveSince: FiniteDuration,
+      threshold: FiniteDuration
+  ) extends RuntimeException
+      with NoStackTrace {
+    override val getMessage: String =
+      s"${repo.show}, inactiveSince = ${showDuration(inactiveSince)}, threshold = ${showDuration(threshold)}"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repoconfig/RepoConfig.scala b/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repoconfig/RepoConfig.scala
index 1f1166bd5d..52298d29c2 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repoconfig/RepoConfig.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repoconfig/RepoConfig.scala
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ final case class RepoConfig(
     private val reviewers: Option[List[String]] = None,
     private val dependencyOverrides: Option[List[GroupRepoConfig]] = None,
     signoffCommits: Option[Boolean] = None,
-    lastCommitMaxAge: Option[FiniteDuration] = None
+    inactivityThreshold: Option[FiniteDuration] = None
 ) {
   def commitsOrDefault: CommitsConfig =
     commits.getOrElse(CommitsConfig())
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ object RepoConfig {
               reviewers = x.reviewers |+| y.reviewers,
               dependencyOverrides = x.dependencyOverrides |+| y.dependencyOverrides,
               signoffCommits = x.signoffCommits.orElse(y.signoffCommits),
-              lastCommitMaxAge = combineOptions(x.lastCommitMaxAge, y.lastCommitMaxAge)(_ max _)
+              inactivityThreshold =
+                combineOptions(x.inactivityThreshold, y.inactivityThreshold)(_ max _)
             )
         }
     )
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlgTest.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlgTest.scala
index f257f0539b..a71eaf47d1 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlgTest.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/org/scalasteward/core/repocache/RepoCacheAlgTest.scala
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import org.scalasteward.core.forge.github.Repository
 import org.scalasteward.core.git.Branch
 import org.scalasteward.core.mock.MockContext.context.{repoCacheAlg, repoConfigAlg, workspaceAlg}
 import org.scalasteward.core.mock.{GitHubAuth, MockEff, MockEffOps, MockState}
+import org.scalasteward.core.repocache.RepoCacheAlg.RepositoryInactive
 import org.scalasteward.core.repoconfig.RepoConfig
 import org.scalasteward.core.util.{intellijThisImportIsUsed, Timestamp}
 import scala.concurrent.duration.*
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ class RepoCacheAlgTest extends CatsEffectSuite with Http4sDsl[MockEff] {
     assertIO(obtained, expected)
   }
 
-  test("throwIfInactive: no maxAge") {
+  test("throwIfInactive: no threshold") {
     val repo = Repo("repo-cache-alg", "test-1")
     val cache = RepoCache(dummySha1, Timestamp(0L), Nil, None, None)
     val config = RepoConfig.empty
@@ -69,23 +70,26 @@ class RepoCacheAlgTest extends CatsEffectSuite with Http4sDsl[MockEff] {
     assertIO(obtained, Right(()))
   }
 
-  test("throwIfInactive: lastCommit < maxAge") {
+  test("throwIfInactive: inactiveSince < threshold") {
     val repo = Repo("repo-cache-alg", "test-2")
     val commitDate = Timestamp.fromLocalDateTime(LocalDateTime.now())
     val cache = RepoCache(dummySha1, commitDate, Nil, None, None)
-    val config = RepoConfig(lastCommitMaxAge = Some(1.day))
+    val config = RepoConfig(inactivityThreshold = Some(1.day))
     val data = RepoData(repo, cache, config)
     val obtained = repoCacheAlg.throwIfInactive(data).runA(MockState.empty).attempt
     assertIO(obtained, Right(()))
   }
 
-  test("throwIfInactive: lastCommit > maxAge") {
+  test("throwIfInactive: inactiveSince > threshold") {
     val repo = Repo("repo-cache-alg", "test-3")
     val cache = RepoCache(dummySha1, Timestamp(0L), Nil, None, None)
-    val config = RepoConfig(lastCommitMaxAge = Some(1.day))
+    val config = RepoConfig(inactivityThreshold = Some(1.day))
     val data = RepoData(repo, cache, config)
-    val obtained =
-      repoCacheAlg.throwIfInactive(data).runA(MockState.empty).attempt.map(_.leftMap(_.getMessage))
-    assertIO(obtained, Left("Skipping because last commit is older than 1d"))
+    val obtained = repoCacheAlg
+      .throwIfInactive(data)
+      .runA(MockState.empty)
+      .attemptNarrow[RepositoryInactive]
+      .map(_.leftMap(_.copy(inactiveSince = Duration.Zero)))
+    assertIO(obtained, Left(RepositoryInactive(repo, Duration.Zero, 1.day)))
   }
 }