diff --git a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater.cpp b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater.cpp
index 68a3625a78..4c537f0eba 100644
--- a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater.cpp
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ void Updater_ShowSettings(void)
 
 void Updater_PrintLastUpdated(void)
 {
-    UpdaterSettings st;
-    Con_Message("Latest update check was made on %s.\n",
-                st.lastCheckTime().asText(de::Time::FriendlyFormat).toAscii().constData());
+    de::Time when = UpdaterSettings().lastCheckTime();
+    Con_Message("Latest update check was made %s.\n",
+                UpdaterSettings().lastCheckAgo().toAscii().constData());
 }
diff --git a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.cpp b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.cpp
index 144d584fcd..6ef1e02200 100644
--- a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.cpp
@@ -147,3 +147,30 @@ de::String UpdaterSettings::defaultDownloadPath()
 {
     return QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::TempLocation);
 }
+
+de::String UpdaterSettings::lastCheckAgo() const
+{
+    de::Time when = lastCheckTime();
+    de::Time::Delta delta = when.since();
+
+    int t;
+    if(delta < 60.0)
+    {
+        t = delta.asMilliSeconds() / 1000;
+        return de::String("%1 second%2 ago").arg(t).arg(t != 1? "s" : "");
+    }
+
+    t = delta.asMinutes();
+    if(t <= 60)
+    {
+        return de::String("%1 minute%2 ago").arg(t).arg(t != 1? "s" : "");
+    }
+
+    t = delta.asHours();
+    if(t <= 24)
+    {
+        return de::String("%1 hour%2 ago").arg(t).arg(t != 1? "s" : "");
+    }
+
+    return de::String("on " + when.asText(de::Time::FriendlyFormat));
+}
diff --git a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.h b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.h
index 87f955671f..10a6939671 100644
--- a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.h
+++ b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettings.h
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ class UpdaterSettings
     de::String downloadPath() const;
     de::String pathToDeleteAtStartup() const;
 
+    /**
+     * @return Human-readable description of when the latest update
+     * check was made.
+     */
+    de::String lastCheckAgo() const;
+
     void setFrequency(Frequency freq);
     void setChannel(Channel channel);
     void setLastCheckTime(const de::Time& time);
diff --git a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettingsdialog.cpp b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettingsdialog.cpp
index f84d05c8ca..5824618140 100644
--- a/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettingsdialog.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/engine/portable/src/updater/updatersettingsdialog.cpp
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ struct UpdaterSettingsDialog::Instance
     {
         UpdaterSettings st;
 
-        lastChecked->setText(tr("<small>Last checked on %1.</small>")
-                             .arg(st.lastCheckTime().asText(de::Time::FriendlyFormat)));
+        lastChecked->setText(tr("<small>Last checked %1.</small>")
+                             .arg(st.lastCheckAgo()));
 
         autoCheck->setChecked(!st.onlyCheckManually());
         freqList->setEnabled(!st.onlyCheckManually());