diff --git a/tests/pipeline/test_pipeline_algo.py b/tests/pipeline/test_pipeline_algo.py
index 53274b68..53cbf874 100644
--- a/tests/pipeline/test_pipeline_algo.py
+++ b/tests/pipeline/test_pipeline_algo.py
@@ -267,13 +267,25 @@ class ClosesOnly(TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(NoSuchPipeline):
             algo.run(source=self.closes)
 
-    def test_assets_appear_on_correct_days(self):
+    @parameterized.expand([('default', None),
+                           ('day', 1),
+                           ('week', 5),
+                           ('year', 252),
+                           ('all_but_one_day', 'all_but_one_day')])
+    def test_assets_appear_on_correct_days(self, test_name, chunksize):
         """
         Assert that assets appear at correct times during a backtest, with
         correctly-adjusted close price values.
         """
+
+        if chunksize == 'all_but_one_day':
+            chunksize = (
+                self.dates.get_loc(self.last_asset_end) -
+                self.dates.get_loc(self.first_asset_start)
+            ) - 1
+
         def initialize(context):
-            p = attach_pipeline(Pipeline(), 'test')
+            p = attach_pipeline(Pipeline(), 'test', chunksize=chunksize)
             p.add(USEquityPricing.close.latest, 'close')
 
         def handle_data(context, data):
@@ -297,13 +309,14 @@ class ClosesOnly(TestCase):
             before_trading_start=before_trading_start,
             data_frequency='daily',
             get_pipeline_loader=lambda column: self.pipeline_loader,
-            start=self.first_asset_start - trading_day,
-            end=self.last_asset_end + trading_day,
+            start=self.first_asset_start,
+            end=self.last_asset_end,
             env=self.env,
         )
 
         # Run for a week in the middle of our data.
-        algo.run(source=self.closes.iloc[10:17])
+        algo.run(source=self.closes.loc[self.first_asset_start:
+                                        self.last_asset_end])
 
 
 class MockDailyBarSpotReader(object):
diff --git a/zipline/algorithm.py b/zipline/algorithm.py
index 9c43d4df..32e345ce 100644
--- a/zipline/algorithm.py
+++ b/zipline/algorithm.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import numpy as np
 
 from datetime import datetime
 
-from itertools import groupby, chain
+from itertools import groupby, chain, repeat
 from six.moves import filter
 from six import (
     exec_,
@@ -1364,13 +1364,19 @@ class TradingAlgorithm(object):
     ##############
     @api_method
     @require_not_initialized(AttachPipelineAfterInitialize())
-    def attach_pipeline(self, pipeline, name):
+    def attach_pipeline(self, pipeline, name, chunksize=None):
         """
         Register a pipeline to be computed at the start of each day.
         """
         if self._pipelines:
             raise NotImplementedError("Multiple pipelines are not supported.")
-        self._pipelines[name] = pipeline
+        if chunksize is None:
+            # Make the first chunk smaller to get more immediate results:
+            # (one week, then every half year)
+            chunks = iter(chain([5], repeat(126)))
+        else:
+            chunks = iter(repeat(int(chunksize)))
+        self._pipelines[name] = pipeline, chunks
 
         # Return the pipeline to allow expressions like
         # p = attach_pipeline(Pipeline(), 'name')
@@ -1405,15 +1411,15 @@ class TradingAlgorithm(object):
         # NOTE: We don't currently support multiple pipelines, but we plan to
         # in the future.
         try:
-            p = self._pipelines[name]
+            p, chunks = self._pipelines[name]
         except KeyError:
             raise NoSuchPipeline(
                 name=name,
                 valid=list(self._pipelines.keys()),
             )
-        return self._pipeline_output(p)
+        return self._pipeline_output(p, chunks)
 
-    def _pipeline_output(self, pipeline):
+    def _pipeline_output(self, pipeline, chunks):
         """
         Internal implementation of `pipeline_output`.
         """
@@ -1421,7 +1427,9 @@ class TradingAlgorithm(object):
         try:
             data = self._pipeline_cache.unwrap(today)
         except Expired:
-            data, valid_until = self._run_pipeline(pipeline, today)
+            data, valid_until = self._run_pipeline(
+                pipeline, today, next(chunks),
+            )
             self._pipeline_cache = CachedObject(data, valid_until)
 
         # Now that we have a cached result, try to return the data for today.
@@ -1432,17 +1440,15 @@ class TradingAlgorithm(object):
             # day.
             return pd.DataFrame(index=[], columns=data.columns)
 
-    def _run_pipeline(self, pipeline, start_date):
+    def _run_pipeline(self, pipeline, start_date, chunksize):
         """
         Compute `pipeline`, providing values for at least `start_date`.
 
         Produces a DataFrame containing data for days between `start_date` and
         `end_date`, where `end_date` is defined by:
 
-            `end_date = min(start_date + 252 trading days, simulation_end)`
-
-        252 is a mostly-arbitrary number based on napkin math.  The window
-        length will likely become dynamic and/or configurable in the future.
+            `end_date = min(start_date + chunksize trading days,
+                            simulation_end)`
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -1458,12 +1464,9 @@ class TradingAlgorithm(object):
         start_date_loc = days.get_loc(start_date)
 
         # ...continuing until either the day before the simulation end, or
-        # until 252 days of data have been loaded.  252 is a totally arbitrary
-        # choice that seemed reasonable based on napkin math.  In the future,
-        # this number will likely become dynamic and/or customizable, so don't
-        # rely on it being 252.
+        # until chunksize days of data have been loaded.
         sim_end = self.sim_params.last_close.normalize()
-        end_loc = min(start_date_loc + 252, days.get_loc(sim_end))
+        end_loc = min(start_date_loc + chunksize, days.get_loc(sim_end))
         end_date = days[end_loc]
 
         return \