diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index 6c3c69c30..b2f46d927 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ class IrcObjectProxy(RichReplyMethods):
                     response = msgs.pop()
                     if msgs:
                         n = ircutils.bold('(%s)')
-                        n %= utils.str.nItems('message', len(msgs), 'more')
+                        n %= utils.str.nItems(len(msgs), 'message', 'more')
                         response = '%s %s' % (response, n)
                     prefix = msg.prefix
                     if self.to and ircutils.isNick(self.to):
diff --git a/src/utils/gen.py b/src/utils/gen.py
index d483ab12f..4223145c9 100644
--- a/src/utils/gen.py
+++ b/src/utils/gen.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def timeElapsed(elapsed, short=False, leadingZeroes=False, years=True,
             if short:
                 ret.append('%s%s' % (i, s[0]))
             else:
-                ret.append(nItems(s, i))
+                ret.append(nItems(i, s))
     elapsed = int(elapsed)
     assert years or weeks or days or \
            hours or minutes or seconds, 'One flag must be True'
diff --git a/src/utils/str.py b/src/utils/str.py
index 784d06195..79c2efc37 100644
--- a/src/utils/str.py
+++ b/src/utils/str.py
@@ -285,18 +285,20 @@ def depluralize(s):
         else:
             return s # Don't know what to do.
 
-def nItems(item, n, between=None):
+def nItems(n, item, between=None):
     """Works like this:
 
-    >>> nItems('clock', 1)
+    >>> nItems(1, 'clock')
     '1 clock'
 
-    >>> nItems('clock', 10)
+    >>> nItems(10, 'clock')
     '10 clocks'
 
-    >>> nItems('clock', 10, between='grandfather')
+    >>> nItems(10, 'clock', between='grandfather')
     '10 grandfather clocks'
     """
+    assert isinstance(n, int), \
+           'The order of the arguments to nItems changed again, sorry.'
     if between is None:
         return '%s %s' % (n, pluralize(item, n))
     else:
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index 65c26feb1..c38fed3d8 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -335,10 +335,10 @@ class StrTest(SupyTestCase):
 
     def testNItems(self):
         nItems = utils.str.nItems
-        self.assertEqual(nItems('tool', 1, 'crazy'), '1 crazy tool')
-        self.assertEqual(nItems('tool', 1), '1 tool')
-        self.assertEqual(nItems('tool', 2, 'crazy'), '2 crazy tools')
-        self.assertEqual(nItems('tool', 2), '2 tools')
+        self.assertEqual(nItems(1, 'tool', 'crazy'), '1 crazy tool')
+        self.assertEqual(nItems(1, 'tool'), '1 tool')
+        self.assertEqual(nItems(2, 'tool', 'crazy'), '2 crazy tools')
+        self.assertEqual(nItems(2, 'tool'), '2 tools')
 
     def testEllipsisify(self):
         f = utils.str.ellipsisify