diff --git a/database/mongodb/README.md b/database/mongodb/README.md
index 32b736fae..bbebe02cd 100644
--- a/database/mongodb/README.md
+++ b/database/mongodb/README.md
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 | `x-transaction-mode` | `TransactionMode` | If set to `true` wrap commands in [transaction](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/core/transactions). Available only for replica set. Driver is using [strconv.ParseBool](https://golang.org/pkg/strconv/#ParseBool) for parsing|
 | `x-advisory-locking` | `true` | Feature flag for advisory locking, if set to false, disable advisory locking |
 | `x-advisory-lock-collection` | `migrate_advisory_lock` | The name of the collection to use for advisory locking.|
-| `x-advisory-lock-timout` | `15` | The max time in seconds that the advisory lock will wait if the db is already locked. |
-| `x-advisory-lock-timout-interval` | `10` | The max timeout in seconds interval that the advisory lock will wait if the db is already locked. |
+| `x-advisory-lock-timeout` | `15` | The max time in seconds that migrate will wait to acquire a lock before failing. |
+| `x-advisory-lock-timeout-interval` | `10` | The max time in seconds between attempts to acquire the advisory lock, the lock is attempted to be acquired using an exponential backoff algorithm. |
 | `dbname` | `DatabaseName` | The name of the database to connect to |
 | `user` | | The user to sign in as. Can be omitted |
 | `password` | | The user's password. Can be omitted | 
diff --git a/database/mongodb/mongodb.go b/database/mongodb/mongodb.go
index 3e18fd44b..00f0fd1be 100644
--- a/database/mongodb/mongodb.go
+++ b/database/mongodb/mongodb.go
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ const LockIndexName = "lock_unique_key"                  // the name of the inde
 const contextWaitTimeout = 5 * time.Second               // how long to wait for the request to mongo to block/wait for.
 
 var (
-	ErrNoDatabaseName = fmt.Errorf("no database name")
-	ErrNilConfig      = fmt.Errorf("no config")
+	ErrNoDatabaseName            = fmt.Errorf("no database name")
+	ErrNilConfig                 = fmt.Errorf("no config")
+	ErrLockTimeoutConfigConflict = fmt.Errorf("both x-advisory-lock-timeout-interval and x-advisory-lock-timout-interval were specified")
 )
 
 type Mongo struct {
@@ -137,7 +138,22 @@ func (m *Mongo) Open(dsn string) (database.Driver, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	maxLockingIntervals, err := parseInt(unknown.Get("x-advisory-lock-timout-interval"), DefaultLockTimeoutInterval)
+
+	lockTimeoutIntervalValue := unknown.Get("x-advisory-lock-timeout-interval")
+	// The initial release had a typo for this argument but for backwards compatibility sake, we will keep supporting it
+	// and we will error out if both values are set.
+	lockTimeoutIntervalValueFromTypo := unknown.Get("x-advisory-lock-timout-interval")
+
+	lockTimeout := lockTimeoutIntervalValue
+
+	if lockTimeoutIntervalValue != "" && lockTimeoutIntervalValueFromTypo != "" {
+		return nil, ErrLockTimeoutConfigConflict
+	} else if lockTimeoutIntervalValueFromTypo != "" {
+		lockTimeout = lockTimeoutIntervalValueFromTypo
+	}
+
+	maxLockCheckInterval, err := parseInt(lockTimeout, DefaultLockTimeoutInterval)
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -157,7 +173,7 @@ func (m *Mongo) Open(dsn string) (database.Driver, error) {
 			CollectionName: lockCollection,
 			Timeout:        lockingTimout,
 			Enabled:        advisoryLockingFlag,
-			Interval:       maxLockingIntervals,
+			Interval:       maxLockCheckInterval,
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {