diff --git a/app/controllers/epp/domains_controller.rb b/app/controllers/epp/domains_controller.rb
index 00dddee11..fa946c3a4 100644
--- a/app/controllers/epp/domains_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/epp/domains_controller.rb
@@ -95,13 +95,9 @@ class Epp::DomainsController < EppController
   def renew
     authorize! :renew, @domain
 
-    period = params[:parsed_frame].css('period').text.presence || 1
-    period_unit = 'y'
-    period_element = params[:parsed_frame].css('period').first
-
-    if period_element.present? && period_element['unit'].present?
-      period_unit = period_element['unit']
-    end
+    period_element = params[:parsed_frame].css('period').text
+    period = (period_element.to_i == 0) ? 1 : period_element.to_i
+    period_unit = Epp::Domain.parse_period_unit_from_frame(params[:parsed_frame]) || 'y'
 
     ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
       success = @domain.renew(
diff --git a/doc/epp/domain.md b/doc/epp/domain.md
index 6651086ba..f3a45c8da 100644
--- a/doc/epp/domain.md
+++ b/doc/epp/domain.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Domain name mapping protocol short version:
         <domain:period>        0-1      Registration period for domain. 
                                         Must add up to 1 / 2 / 3 years.
                                         Attribute: unit="y/m/d"
+                                        Default is 1 year.
         <domain:registrant>    1        Contact reference to the registrant
                                           Attribute:
                                             "verified"  # optional, allowed values 'yes', 'no'