diff --git a/lib/staleness.rb b/lib/staleness.rb
index 67cafdc0..22a7f5ad 100644
--- a/lib/staleness.rb
+++ b/lib/staleness.rb
@@ -1,18 +1,10 @@
 require 'active_support/all'
 
 class Staleness
+  SECONDS_PER_DAY = 86400
   def self.days_stale(item, current_user)
-    if item.due || item.completed?
-      return ""
-    elsif item.created_at < current_user.time - (current_user.prefs.staleness_starts * 3).days
-      return " stale_l3"
-    elsif item.created_at < current_user.time - (current_user.prefs.staleness_starts * 2).days
-      return " stale_l2"
-    elsif item.created_at < current_user.time - (current_user.prefs.staleness_starts).days
-      return " stale_l1"
-    else
-      return ""
-    end
+    return 0 if item.due || item.completed?
+    (current_user.time - item.created_at).to_i / SECONDS_PER_DAY
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/test/unit/staleness_test.rb b/test/unit/staleness_test.rb
index f5da5036..c96e2976 100644
--- a/test/unit/staleness_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/staleness_test.rb
@@ -40,32 +40,22 @@ class StalenessTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_item_with_due_date_is_not_stale_ever
-    todo = FakeTask.new(day24, false, now)
-    assert_equal "", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
+    todo = FakeTask.new(now, false, day24)
+    assert_equal 0, Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
   end
 
   def test_complete_item_is_not_stale
     todo = FakeTask.new(day16, true, day24)
-    assert_equal "", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
+    assert_equal 0, Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
   end
 
   def test_young_item_is_not_stale
     todo = FakeTask.new(nil, false, now)
-    assert_equal "", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
+    assert_equal 0, Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
   end
 
-  def test_staleness_level_one
+  def test_todo_staleness_calculation
     todo = FakeTask.new(nil, false, day8)
-    assert_equal " stale_l1", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
-  end
-
-  def test_staleness_level_two
-    todo = FakeTask.new(nil, false, day16)
-    assert_equal " stale_l2", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
-  end
-
-  def test_staleness_level_three
-    todo = FakeTask.new(nil, false, day24)
-    assert_equal " stale_l3", Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
+    assert_equal 8, Staleness.days_stale(todo, @current_user)
   end
 end