diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 29b8a2ebf..cf329a2e0 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
   
 - A bug was fixed where the initial growth was never estimated (i.e. the prior mean was always zero). By @sbfnk in #853 and reviewed by @seabbs.
 - A bug was fixed where an internal function for applying a default cdf cutoff failed due to a difference a vector length issue. By @jamesmbaazam in #858 and reviewed by @sbfnk.
-- All parameters have been changed to the new parameter interface. By @sbfnk in #871 and reviewed by @seabbs.
+- All parameters have been changed to the new parameter interface. By @sbfnk in #871 and #890 and reviewed by @seabbs.
+- The Gaussian Process lengthscale is now scaled by half the length of the time series. By @sbfnk in #890 and reviewed by #
 
 ## Package changes
 
diff --git a/R/create.R b/R/create.R
index ade71b2e4..c4efb2f59 100644
--- a/R/create.R
+++ b/R/create.R
@@ -362,19 +362,6 @@ create_gp_data <- function(gp = gp_opts(), data) {
     time <- time - 1
   }
 
-  obs_time <- data$t - data$seeding_time
-  if (gp$ls_max > obs_time) {
-    gp$ls_max <- obs_time
-  }
-
-  times <- seq_len(time)
-
-  rescaled_times <- (times - mean(times)) / sd(times)
-  gp$ls_mean <- gp$ls_mean / sd(times)
-  gp$ls_sd <- gp$ls_sd / sd(times)
-  gp$ls_min <- gp$ls_min / sd(times)
-  gp$ls_max <- gp$ls_max /  sd(times)
-
   # basis functions
   M <- ceiling(time * gp$basis_prop)
 
@@ -382,11 +369,7 @@ create_gp_data <- function(gp = gp_opts(), data) {
   gp_data <- list(
     fixed = as.numeric(fixed),
     M = M,
-    L = gp$boundary_scale * max(rescaled_times),
-    ls_meanlog = convert_to_logmean(gp$ls_mean, gp$ls_sd),
-    ls_sdlog = convert_to_logsd(gp$ls_mean, gp$ls_sd),
-    ls_min = gp$ls_min,
-    ls_max = gp$ls_max,
+    L = gp$boundary_scale,
     gp_type = data.table::fcase(
       gp$kernel == "se", 0,
       gp$kernel == "periodic", 1,
@@ -528,6 +511,16 @@ create_stan_data <- function(data, seeding_time,
   # gaussian process data
   stan_data <- create_gp_data(gp, stan_data)
 
+  ## process legacy GP arguments (deprecated and will be removed)
+  if (!is.null(gp) && gp$legacy_arguments) {
+    scale <- 0.5 * (time - 1)
+    ls_meanlog <- convert_to_logmean(gp$ls_mean, gp$ls_sd) / scale
+    ls_sdlog <- convert_to_logsd(gp$ls_mean, gp$ls_sd) / scale
+    ls_max <- gp$ls_max / scale
+
+    gp$ls <- LogNormal(ls_meanlog, ls_sdlog, max = ls_max)
+  }
+
   # observation model data
   stan_data <- c(
     stan_data,
@@ -542,11 +535,13 @@ create_stan_data <- function(data, seeding_time,
     stan_data,
     create_stan_params(
       alpha = gp$alpha,
+      rescaled_rho = gp$ls,
       R0 = rt$prior,
       frac_obs = obs$scale,
       rep_phi = obs$phi,
       lower_bounds = c(
         alpha = 0,
+        rescaled_rho = 0,
         R0 = 0,
         frac_obs = 0,
         rep_phi = 0
@@ -601,18 +596,8 @@ create_initial_conditions <- function(data) {
     if (data$fixed == 0) {
       out$eta <- array(rnorm(
         ifelse(data$gp_type == 1, data$M * 2, data$M), mean = 0, sd = 0.1))
-      out$rescaled_rho <- array(rlnorm(1,
-        meanlog = data$ls_meanlog,
-        sdlog = ifelse(data$ls_sdlog > 0, data$ls_sdlog, 0.01)
-      ))
-      out$rescaled_rho <- array(data.table::fcase(
-        out$rescaled_rho > data$ls_max, data$ls_max - 0.001,
-        out$rescaled_rho < data$ls_min, data$ls_min + 0.001,
-        default = out$rescaled_rho
-      ))
     } else {
       out$eta <- array(numeric(0))
-      out$rescaled_rho <- array(numeric(0))
     }
     if (data$estimate_r == 1) {
       out$initial_infections <- array(rnorm(1, data$prior_infections, 0.2))
diff --git a/R/opts.R b/R/opts.R
index 04d9e5577..133ef6b62 100644
--- a/R/opts.R
+++ b/R/opts.R
@@ -461,19 +461,20 @@ backcalc_opts <- function(prior = c("reports", "none", "infections"),
 #' Defines a list specifying the structure of the approximate Gaussian
 #' process. Custom settings can be supplied which override the defaults.
 #'
-#' @param ls_mean Numeric, defaults to 21 days. The mean of the lognormal
-#' length scale.
+#' @param ls_mean Deprecated; use `ls` instead.
 #'
-#' @param ls_sd Numeric, defaults to 7 days. The standard deviation of the log
-#' normal length scale. If \code{ls_sd = 0}, inverse-gamma prior on Gaussian
-#' process length scale will be used with recommended parameters
-#' \code{inv_gamma(1.499007, 0.057277 * ls_max)}.
+#' @param ls_sd Deprecated; use `ls` instead.
 #'
-#' @param ls_min Numeric, defaults to 0. The minimum value of the length scale.
+#' @param ls_min Deprecated; use `ls` instead.
 #'
-#' @param ls_max Numeric, defaults to 60. The maximum value of the length
-#' scale. Updated in [create_gp_data()] to be the length of the input data if
-#' this is smaller.
+#' @param ls_max Deprecated; use `ls` instead.
+#'
+#' @param ls A `<dist_spec>` giving the prior distribution of the lengthscale
+#' parameter of the Gaussian process kernel. This is scaled with half the
+#' length of the time scale such that 2 corresponds to the length of the time
+#' series. Defaults to a half-normal distribution with mean 0.5, sd 0.1 and
+#' maximum 1: `Normal(mean = 0.5, sd = 0.1, max = 1)` (a lower limit of 0 will
+#' be enforced automatically to ensure positivity)
 #'
 #' @param alpha A `<dist_spec>` giving the prior distribution of the magnitude
 #' parameter of the Gaussian process kernel. Should be approximately the
@@ -533,6 +534,7 @@ gp_opts <- function(basis_prop = 0.2,
                     ls_sd = 7,
                     ls_min = 0,
                     ls_max = 60,
+                    ls = Normal(mean = 0.5, sd = 0.1, max = 1),
                     alpha = Normal(mean = 0, sd = 0.01),
                     kernel = c("matern", "se", "ou", "periodic"),
                     matern_order = 3 / 2,
@@ -555,6 +557,37 @@ gp_opts <- function(basis_prop = 0.2,
       "1.7.0", "gp_opts(alpha_sd)", "gp_opts(alpha)"
     )
   }
+  if (!missing(ls_mean) || !missing(ls_sd) || !missing(ls_min) ||
+      !missing(ls_max)) {
+    if (!missing(ls)) {
+      cli_abort(
+        c(
+          "!" = "Both {.var ls} and at least one legacy argument
+          ({.var ls_mean}, {.var ls_sd}, {.var ls_min}, {.var ls_max}) have been
+          specified.",
+          "i" = "Only one of the should be used."
+        )
+      )
+    }
+    cli_warn(c(
+      "!" = "Specifying lengthscale priors via the {.var ls_mean}, {.var ls_sd},
+      {.var ls_min}, and {.var ls_max} arguments is deprecated.",
+      "i" = "Use the {.var ls} argument instead."
+    ))
+    if (ls_min > 0) {
+      cli_abort(
+        c(
+          "!" = "Lower lengthscale bounds of greater than 0 are no longer
+          supported. If this is a feature you need please open an Issue on the
+          EpiNow2 GitHub repository."
+        )
+      )
+    }
+    legacy_arguments <- TRUE
+  } else {
+    legacy_arguments <- FALSE
+  }
+
 
   if (!missing(matern_type)) {
     if (!missing(matern_order) && matern_type != matern_order) {
@@ -592,10 +625,12 @@ gp_opts <- function(basis_prop = 0.2,
     ls_sd = ls_sd,
     ls_min = ls_min,
     ls_max = ls_max,
+    ls = ls,
     alpha = alpha,
     kernel = kernel,
     matern_order = matern_order,
-    w0 = w0
+    w0 = w0,
+    legacy_arguments = legacy_arguments
   )
 
   attr(gp, "class") <- c("gp_opts", class(gp))
diff --git a/R/simulate_infections.R b/R/simulate_infections.R
index f3b66cc3f..f266f9ac6 100644
--- a/R/simulate_infections.R
+++ b/R/simulate_infections.R
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ simulate_infections <- function(estimates, R, initial_infections,
 
   data <- c(data, create_stan_params(
     alpha = NULL,
+    rescaled_rho = NULL,
     R0 = NULL,
     frac_obs = obs$scale,
     rep_phi = obs$phi
diff --git a/inst/stan/data/estimate_infections_params.stan b/inst/stan/data/estimate_infections_params.stan
index 3351f5ea3..a98d1bb13 100644
--- a/inst/stan/data/estimate_infections_params.stan
+++ b/inst/stan/data/estimate_infections_params.stan
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 int<lower = 0> alpha_id;     // parameter id of alpha (GP magnitude)
+int<lower = 0> rescaled_rho_id; // parameter id of rescaled rho (GP lengthscale)
 int<lower = 0> R0_id;         // parameter id of R0
 int<lower = 0> frac_obs_id;  // parameter id of frac_obs
 int<lower = 0> rep_phi_id;   // parameter id of rep_phi_id
diff --git a/inst/stan/data/gaussian_process.stan b/inst/stan/data/gaussian_process.stan
index 7990dba8a..9b1fed466 100644
--- a/inst/stan/data/gaussian_process.stan
+++ b/inst/stan/data/gaussian_process.stan
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
   real L;				                     // boundary value for infections gp
   int<lower=1> M;			               // basis functions for infections gp
-  real ls_meanlog;                   // meanlog for gp lengthscale prior
-  real ls_sdlog;                     // sdlog for gp lengthscale prior
-  real<lower=0> ls_min;              // Lower bound for the lengthscale
-  real<lower=0> ls_max;              // Upper bound for the lengthscale
   int gp_type;                       // type of gp, 0 = squared exponential, 1 = periodic, 2 = Matern
   real nu;                           // smoothness parameter for Matern kernel (used if gp_type = 2)
   real w0;                           // fundamental frequency for periodic kernel (used if gp_type = 1)
diff --git a/inst/stan/estimate_infections.stan b/inst/stan/estimate_infections.stan
index 8202c962c..cbd5f8a8c 100644
--- a/inst/stan/estimate_infections.stan
+++ b/inst/stan/estimate_infections.stan
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ transformed data {
 parameters {
   vector<lower = params_lower, upper = params_upper>[n_params_variable] params;
   // gaussian process
-  array[fixed ? 0 : 1] real<lower = ls_min, upper = ls_max> rescaled_rho;  // length scale of noise GP
   vector[fixed ? 0 : gp_type == 1 ? 2*M : M] eta;               // unconstrained noise
   // Rt
   array[estimate_r] real initial_infections;    // seed infections
@@ -70,6 +69,10 @@ transformed parameters {
         alpha_id, params_fixed_lookup, params_variable_lookup, params_value,
         params
       );
+      real rescaled_rho = get_param(
+        rescaled_rho_id, params_fixed_lookup, params_variable_lookup,
+        params_value, params
+      );
       noise = update_gp(
         PHI, M, L, alpha, rescaled_rho, eta, gp_type, nu
       );
@@ -176,9 +179,6 @@ model {
   if (!fixed) {
     profile("gp lp") {
       gaussian_process_lp(eta);
-      if (gp_type != 3) {
-        lengthscale_lp(rescaled_rho[1], ls_meanlog, ls_sdlog, ls_min, ls_max);
-      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -233,9 +233,13 @@ generated quantities {
       rep_phi_id, params_fixed_lookup, params_variable_lookup, params_value,
       params
     );
-    if (!fixed && gp_type != 3) {
+    if (!fixed) {
+      real rescaled_rho = get_param(
+        rescaled_rho_id, params_fixed_lookup, params_variable_lookup,
+        params_value, params
+      );
       vector[noise_terms] x = linspaced_vector(noise_terms, 1, noise_terms);
-      rho[1] = rescaled_rho[1] * sd(x);
+      rho[1] = rescaled_rho * 0.5 * (max(x) - 1);
     }
 
     if (estimate_r == 0) {
diff --git a/inst/stan/functions/gaussian_process.stan b/inst/stan/functions/gaussian_process.stan
index e35906f02..b680961b7 100644
--- a/inst/stan/functions/gaussian_process.stan
+++ b/inst/stan/functions/gaussian_process.stan
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ int setup_noise(int ot_h, int t, int horizon, int estimate_r,
   */
 matrix setup_gp(int M, real L, int dimension, int is_periodic, real w0) {
   vector[dimension] x = linspaced_vector(dimension, 1, dimension);
-  x = (x - mean(x)) / sd(x);
+  x = 2 * (x - mean(x)) / (max(x) - 1);
   if (is_periodic) {
     return PHI_periodic(dimension, M, w0, x);
   } else {
@@ -165,21 +165,21 @@ matrix setup_gp(int M, real L, int dimension, int is_periodic, real w0) {
   * @return A vector of updated noise terms
   */
 vector update_gp(matrix PHI, int M, real L, real alpha,
-                  array[] real rho, vector eta, int type, real nu) {
+                 real rho, vector eta, int type, real nu) {
   vector[type == 1 ? 2 * M : M] diagSPD;    // spectral density
 
   // GP in noise - spectral densities
   if (type == 0) {
-    diagSPD = diagSPD_EQ(alpha, rho[1], L, M);
+    diagSPD = diagSPD_EQ(alpha, rho, L, M);
   } else if (type == 1) {
-    diagSPD = diagSPD_Periodic(alpha, rho[1], M);
+    diagSPD = diagSPD_Periodic(alpha, rho, M);
   } else if (type == 2) {
     if (nu == 0.5) {
-      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern12(alpha, rho[1], L, M);
+      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern12(alpha, rho, L, M);
     } else if (nu == 1.5) {
-      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern32(alpha, rho[1], L, M);
+      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern32(alpha, rho, L, M);
     } else if (nu == 2.5) {
-      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern52(alpha, rho[1], L, M);
+      diagSPD = diagSPD_Matern52(alpha, rho, L, M);
     } else {
       reject("nu must be one of 1/2, 3/2 or 5/2; found nu=", nu);
     }
@@ -187,24 +187,6 @@ vector update_gp(matrix PHI, int M, real L, real alpha,
   return PHI * (diagSPD .* eta);
 }
 
-/**
-  * Prior for Gaussian process length scale
-  *
-  * @param rho Length scale parameter
-  * @param ls_meanlog Mean of the log of the length scale
-  * @param ls_sdlog Standard deviation of the log of the length scale
-  * @param ls_min Minimum length scale
-  * @param ls_max Maximum length scale
-  */
-void lengthscale_lp(real rho, real ls_meanlog, real ls_sdlog,
-                    real ls_min, real ls_max) {
-  if (ls_sdlog > 0) {
-    rho ~ lognormal(ls_meanlog, ls_sdlog) T[ls_min, ls_max];
-  } else {
-    rho ~ inv_gamma(1.499007, 0.057277 * ls_max) T[ls_min, ls_max];
-  }
-}
-
 /**
   * Priors for Gaussian process (excluding length scale)
   *
diff --git a/man/gp_opts.Rd b/man/gp_opts.Rd
index 3bbe91930..1bfc8346c 100644
--- a/man/gp_opts.Rd
+++ b/man/gp_opts.Rd
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ gp_opts(
   ls_sd = 7,
   ls_min = 0,
   ls_max = 60,
+  ls = Normal(mean = 0.5, sd = 0.1, max = 1),
   alpha = Normal(mean = 0, sd = 0.01),
   kernel = c("matern", "se", "ou", "periodic"),
   matern_order = 3/2,
@@ -32,19 +33,20 @@ proportion of basis functions. See (Riutort-Mayol et al. 2020
 approximate Gaussian process. See (Riutort-Mayol et al. 2020
 \url{https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.11408}) for advice on updating this default.}
 
-\item{ls_mean}{Numeric, defaults to 21 days. The mean of the lognormal
-length scale.}
+\item{ls_mean}{Deprecated; use \code{ls} instead.}
 
-\item{ls_sd}{Numeric, defaults to 7 days. The standard deviation of the log
-normal length scale. If \code{ls_sd = 0}, inverse-gamma prior on Gaussian
-process length scale will be used with recommended parameters
-\code{inv_gamma(1.499007, 0.057277 * ls_max)}.}
+\item{ls_sd}{Deprecated; use \code{ls} instead.}
 
-\item{ls_min}{Numeric, defaults to 0. The minimum value of the length scale.}
+\item{ls_min}{Deprecated; use \code{ls} instead.}
 
-\item{ls_max}{Numeric, defaults to 60. The maximum value of the length
-scale. Updated in \code{\link[=create_gp_data]{create_gp_data()}} to be the length of the input data if
-this is smaller.}
+\item{ls_max}{Deprecated; use \code{ls} instead.}
+
+\item{ls}{A \verb{<dist_spec>} giving the prior distribution of the lengthscale
+parameter of the Gaussian process kernel. This is scaled with half the
+length of the time scale such that 2 corresponds to the length of the time
+series. Defaults to a half-normal distribution with mean 0.5, sd 0.1 and
+maximum 1: \code{Normal(mean = 0.5, sd = 0.1, max = 1)} (a lower limit of 0 will
+be enforced automatically to ensure positivity)}
 
 \item{alpha}{A \verb{<dist_spec>} giving the prior distribution of the magnitude
 parameter of the Gaussian process kernel. Should be approximately the
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R b/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
index d33dccd76..197fbfec2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-create_gp_data.R
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
 test_that("create_gp_data returns correct default values when GP is disabled", {
   data <- list(t = 30, seeding_time = 7, horizon = 7, future_fixed = 0, fixed_from = 0)
-  restricted_time <- 30 - 7 - 1
-  times <- seq_len(restricted_time)
   gp_data <- create_gp_data(NULL, data)
   expect_equal(gp_data$fixed, 1)
   expect_equal(gp_data$stationary, 1)
   expect_equal(gp_data$M, 5)  # (30 - 7) * 0.2
-  expect_equal(gp_data$L, 2.43, tolerance = 0.01)
-  expect_equal(gp_data$ls_meanlog, convert_to_logmean(21 / sd(times), 7 / sd(times)))
-  expect_equal(gp_data$ls_sdlog, convert_to_logsd(21, 7))
-  expect_equal(gp_data$ls_min, 0)
-  expect_equal(gp_data$ls_max, 3.54, tolerance = 0.01)
+  expect_equal(gp_data$L, 1.5)
   expect_equal(gp_data$alpha, NULL)
+  expect_equal(gp_data$rescaled_rho, NULL)
   expect_equal(gp_data$gp_type, 2)  # Default to Matern
   expect_equal(gp_data$nu, 3 / 2)
   expect_equal(gp_data$w0, 1.0)
@@ -37,13 +32,6 @@ test_that("create_gp_data sets correct gp_type and nu for different kernels", {
   expect_equal(gp_data$nu, 1 / 2)
 })
 
-test_that("create_gp_data correctly adjusts ls_max", {
-  data <- list(t = 30, seeding_time = 7, horizon = 7, future_fixed = 0, fixed_from = 0, stationary = 0)
-  gp <- gp_opts(ls_max = 50)
-  gp_data <- create_gp_data(gp, data)
-  expect_equal(gp_data$ls_max, 3.39, tolerance = 0.01)  # 30 - 7 - 7
-})
-
 test_that("create_gp_data correctly handles future_fixed", {
   data <- list(t = 30, seeding_time = 7, horizon = 7, future_fixed = 1, fixed_from = 2, stationary = 0)
   gp_data <- create_gp_data(gp_opts(), data)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R b/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
index 47e4f6186..39dd374d9 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-gp_opts.R
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@ test_that("gp_opts returns correct default values", {
   gp <- gp_opts()
   expect_equal(gp$basis_prop, 0.2)
   expect_equal(gp$boundary_scale, 1.5)
-  expect_equal(gp$ls_mean, 21)
-  expect_equal(gp$ls_sd, 7)
-  expect_equal(gp$ls_min, 0)
-  expect_equal(gp$ls_max, 60)
   expect_equal(gp$alpha, Normal(0, 0.01))
+  expect_equal(gp$ls, Normal(0.5, 0.1, max = 1))
   expect_equal(gp$kernel, "matern")
   expect_equal(gp$matern_order, 3 / 2)
   expect_equal(gp$w0, 1.0)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-stan-guassian-process.R b/tests/testthat/test-stan-guassian-process.R
index 0a4717065..14936c5fe 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-stan-guassian-process.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-stan-guassian-process.R
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ test_that("setup_gp returns correct dimensions and values", {
   expect_equal(dim(result), c(dimension, M))
   # Compare with direct PHI call
   x <- linspaced_vector(dimension, 1, dimension)
-  x <- (x - mean(x)) / sd(x)
+  x <- 2 * (x - mean(x)) / (max(x) - 1)
   expected_result <- PHI(dimension, M, L, x)
   expect_equal(result, expected_result, tolerance = 1e-8)
 })
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ test_that("setup_gp with periodic basis functions returns correct dimensions and
   expect_equal(dim(result), c(dimension, 2 * M))  # Cosine and sine terms
   # Compare with direct PHI_periodic call
   x <- linspaced_vector(dimension, 1, dimension)
-  x <- (x - mean(x)) / sd(x)
+  x <- 2 * (x - mean(x)) / (max(x) - 1)
   expected_result <- PHI_periodic(dimension, M, w0, x)
   expect_equal(result, expected_result, tolerance = 1e-8)
 })