diff --git a/res/values/plurals.xml b/res/values/plurals.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e537bf959
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/values/plurals.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<resources>
+    <plurals name="minutes_ago">
+        <item quantity="one">@string/plurals__one_minute</item>
+        <item quantity="other">@string/plurals__many_minutes</item>
+    </plurals>
+
+    <plurals name="hours_ago">
+        <item quantity="one">@string/plurals__one_hour</item>
+        <item quantity="other">@string/plurals__many_hours</item>
+    </plurals>
+
+</resources>
diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 545d70c105..d125657c8b 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@
     <!-- ConversationListItem -->
     <string name="ConversationListItem_key_exchange_message">Key exchange message...</string>
 
+    <!-- DateUtils -->
+    <string name="DateUtils_now">Now</string>
+
     <!-- ShareActivity -->
     <string name="ShareActivity_share_with">Share with</string>
 
@@ -652,6 +655,13 @@
     <string name="arrays__import_export">Import / export</string>
     <string name="arrays__my_identity_key">My identity key</string>
 
+    <!-- plurals.xml -->
+    <string name="plurals__one_minute">%d min</string>
+    <string name="plurals__many_minutes">%d mins</string>
+    <string name="plurals__one_hour">%d hour</string>
+    <string name="plurals__many_hours">%d hours</string>
+
+
     <!-- preferences.xml -->
     <string name="preferences__general">General</string>
     <string name="preferences__sms_mms">SMS and MMS</string>
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationItem.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationItem.java
index 2a53139fcc..1aa779e2c4 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationItem.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationItem.java
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ public class ConversationItem extends LinearLayout {
       if (messageRecord.isPush()) timestamp = messageRecord.getDateSent();
       else                        timestamp = messageRecord.getDateReceived();
 
-      dateText.setText(DateUtils.getBetterRelativeTimeSpanString(getContext(), timestamp));
+      dateText.setText(DateUtils.getExtendedRelativeTimeSpanString(getContext(), timestamp));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
index 16cdd63241..ea84da2871 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
@@ -112,10 +112,7 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
     this.subjectView.setTypeface(read ? LIGHT_TYPEFACE : BOLD_TYPEFACE);
 
     if (thread.getDate() > 0) {
-      CharSequence date = DateUtils.getRelativeTimeSpanString(thread.getDate(),
-                                                              System.currentTimeMillis(),
-                                                              DateUtils.MINUTE_IN_MILLIS,
-                                                              DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_RELATIVE);
+      CharSequence date = DateUtils.getBriefRelativeTimeSpanString(context, thread.getDate());
       dateView.setText(read ? date : color(getResources().getColor(R.color.textsecure_primary), date));
       dateView.setTypeface(read ? LIGHT_TYPEFACE : BOLD_TYPEFACE);
     }
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DateUtils.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DateUtils.java
index 21650df001..2a020610c1 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DateUtils.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DateUtils.java
@@ -18,34 +18,57 @@ package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.R;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+
 /**
  * Utility methods to help display dates in a nice, easily readable way.
  */
 public class DateUtils extends android.text.format.DateUtils {
 
-  private final static long DAY_IN_MILLIS  = 86400000L;
-  private final static long WEEK_IN_MILLIS = 7 * DAY_IN_MILLIS;
-  private final static long YEAR_IN_MILLIS = (long)(52.1775 * WEEK_IN_MILLIS);
-
-  private static boolean isWithinWeek(final long millis) {
-    return System.currentTimeMillis() - millis <= (WEEK_IN_MILLIS - DAY_IN_MILLIS);
+  private static boolean isWithin(final long millis, final long span, final TimeUnit unit) {
+    return System.currentTimeMillis() - millis <= unit.toMillis(span);
   }
 
-  private static boolean isWithinYear(final long millis) {
-    return System.currentTimeMillis() - millis <= YEAR_IN_MILLIS;
+  private static int convertDelta(final long millis, TimeUnit to) {
+    return (int) to.convert(System.currentTimeMillis() - millis, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
   }
 
-  public static String getBetterRelativeTimeSpanString(final Context c, final long millis) {
-    int formatFlags = DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_TIME | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_TIME;
-    if (!isToday(millis)) {
-      if (isWithinWeek(millis)) {
+  public static String getBriefRelativeTimeSpanString(final Context c, final long timestamp) {
+    if (isWithin(timestamp, 1, TimeUnit.MINUTES)) {
+      return c.getString(R.string.DateUtils_now);
+    } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 1, TimeUnit.HOURS)) {
+      int mins = convertDelta(timestamp, TimeUnit.MINUTES);
+      return c.getResources().getQuantityString(R.plurals.minutes_ago, mins, mins);
+    } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 1, TimeUnit.DAYS)) {
+      int hours = convertDelta(timestamp, TimeUnit.HOURS);
+      return c.getResources().getQuantityString(R.plurals.hours_ago, hours, hours);
+    } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 6, TimeUnit.DAYS)) {
+      return formatDateTime(c, timestamp, DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_WEEKDAY | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_WEEKDAY);
+    } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 365, TimeUnit.DAYS)) {
+      return formatDateTime(c, timestamp, DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_DATE | DateUtils.FORMAT_NO_YEAR | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_ALL);
+    } else {
+      return formatDateTime(c, timestamp, DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_DATE | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_ALL);
+    }
+  }
+
+  public static String getExtendedRelativeTimeSpanString(final Context c, final long timestamp) {
+    if (isWithin(timestamp, 1, TimeUnit.MINUTES)) {
+      return c.getString(R.string.DateUtils_now);
+    } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 1, TimeUnit.HOURS)) {
+      int mins = (int)TimeUnit.MINUTES.convert(System.currentTimeMillis() - timestamp, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+      return c.getResources().getQuantityString(R.plurals.minutes_ago, mins, mins);
+    } else {
+      int formatFlags = DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_TIME | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_TIME;
+      if (isWithin(timestamp, 6, TimeUnit.DAYS)) {
         formatFlags |= DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_WEEKDAY | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_WEEKDAY;
-      } else if (isWithinYear(millis)) {
+      } else if (isWithin(timestamp, 365, TimeUnit.DAYS)) {
         formatFlags |= DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_DATE | DateUtils.FORMAT_NO_YEAR | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_ALL;
       } else {
         formatFlags |= DateUtils.FORMAT_SHOW_DATE | DateUtils.FORMAT_ABBREV_ALL;
       }
+      return DateUtils.formatDateTime(c, timestamp, formatFlags);
     }
-    return DateUtils.formatDateTime(c, millis, formatFlags);
   }
 }