diff --git a/plugins/FunCommands.py b/plugins/FunCommands.py
index 2ce69998f..c51c94093 100644
--- a/plugins/FunCommands.py
+++ b/plugins/FunCommands.py
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class FunCommands(callbacks.Privmsg):
     def uptime(self, irc, msg, args):
         "takes no arguments"
         response = 'I have been running for %s.' % \
-                   utils.timeElapsed(time.time(), world.startedAt)
+                   utils.timeElapsed(time.time() - world.startedAt)
         irc.reply(msg, response)
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/Notes.py b/plugins/Notes.py
index 7256bba8e..12e4d87a6 100644
--- a/plugins/Notes.py
+++ b/plugins/Notes.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class Notes(callbacks.Privmsg):
             irc.error(msg, 'You are not the recipient of note %s.' % noteid)
             return
         public = int(public)
-        elapsed = utils.timeElapsed(time.time(), int(added_at))
+        elapsed = utils.timeElapsed(time.time() - int(added_at))
         newnote = "%s (Sent by %s %s ago)" % (note, author, elapsed)
         if public:
             irc.reply(msg, newnote)
diff --git a/plugins/RSS.py b/plugins/RSS.py
index d145f8a61..94501956e 100644
--- a/plugins/RSS.py
+++ b/plugins/RSS.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class RSS(callbacks.Privmsg):
         # check the 'modified' key, if it's there, convert it here first
         if 'modified' in feed:
             seconds = time.mktime(feed['modified'])
-            when = utils.timeElapsed(time.time(), seconds) + ' ago'
+            when = utils.timeElapsed(time.time() - seconds) + ' ago'
         else:
             when = "time unavailable"
         # The rest of the entries are all available in the channel key
diff --git a/src/utils.py b/src/utils.py
index 18c347649..0024678aa 100755
--- a/src/utils.py
+++ b/src/utils.py
@@ -89,10 +89,10 @@ def abbrev(strings):
         del d[key]
     return d
 
-def timeElapsed(now, then, leadingZeroes=False, years=True, weeks=True,
+def timeElapsed(elapsed, leadingZeroes=False, years=True, weeks=True,
                 days=True, hours=True, minutes=True, seconds=True):
-    assert days or hours or minutes or seconds, 'One flag must be True'
-    elapsed = int(now - then)
+    assert years or weeks or days or \
+           hours or minutes or seconds, 'One flag must be True'
     ret = []
     if years:
         yrs, elapsed = elapsed // 31536000, elapsed % 31536000
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index d074694fa..64fe48a5b 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class UtilsTest(unittest.TestCase):
                               (122, '2 minutes and 2 seconds'),
                               (3722, '1 hour, 2 minutes and 2 seconds'),
                               (7322, '2 hours, 2 minutes and 2 seconds')]:
-            self.assertEqual(utils.timeElapsed(now, then), expected)
+            self.assertEqual(utils.timeElapsed(now - then), expected)
 
     def testEachSubstring(self):
         s = 'foobar'