diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
index 81447d8e9..faed72ae6 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/Util.java
@@ -97,15 +97,17 @@ public class Util
 	}
 
 	private static int dateDiff(int type, Calendar fromDate, Calendar toDate, boolean future)
-	{
+	{	 
 		int diff = 0;
+		long savedDate = fromDate.getTimeInMillis();
 		while ((future && !fromDate.after(toDate)) || (!future && !fromDate.before(toDate)))
 		{
+			savedDate = fromDate.getTimeInMillis();
 			fromDate.add(type, future ? 1 : -1);
 			diff++;
 		}
 		diff--;
-		fromDate.add(type, future ? -1 : 1);
+		fromDate.setTimeInMillis(savedDate);
 		return diff;
 	}
 
diff --git a/Essentials/test/com/earth2me/essentials/UtilTest.java b/Essentials/test/com/earth2me/essentials/UtilTest.java
index 712d15cfe..4e7949448 100644
--- a/Essentials/test/com/earth2me/essentials/UtilTest.java
+++ b/Essentials/test/com/earth2me/essentials/UtilTest.java
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ public class UtilTest extends TestCase
 		a = new GregorianCalendar(2010, 9, 17, 23, 45, 45);
 		b = new GregorianCalendar(2015, 3, 7, 10, 0, 0);
 		assertEquals(" 4 years 5 months 20 days 10 hours 14 minutes 15 seconds", Util.formatDateDiff(a, b));
+		a = new GregorianCalendar(2011, 4, 31, 10, 0, 0);
+		b = new GregorianCalendar(2011, 4, 31, 10, 5, 0);
+		assertEquals(" 5 minutes", Util.formatDateDiff(a, b));
 	}
 	
 	public void testFDDpast() {