diff --git a/src/gui/activitywidget.cpp b/src/gui/activitywidget.cpp
index 731c0262c..460161314 100644
--- a/src/gui/activitywidget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/activitywidget.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ QVariant ActivityListModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
         return a._accName;
         break;
     case ActivityItemDelegate::PointInTimeRole:
-        return timeSpanFromNow(a._dateTime);
+        return Utility::timeAgoInWords(a._dateTime);
         break;
     case ActivityItemDelegate::AccountConnectedRole:
         return (ast && ast->isConnected());
@@ -109,26 +109,6 @@ QVariant ActivityListModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
 
 }
 
-QString ActivityListModel::timeSpanFromNow(const QDateTime& dt) const
-{
-    QDateTime now = QDateTime::currentDateTime();
-
-    if( dt.daysTo(now)>0 ) {
-        return tr("%1 day(s) ago").arg(dt.daysTo(now));
-    } else {
-        qint64 secs = dt.secsTo(now);
-
-        if( floor(secs / 3600.0) > 0 ) {
-            int hours = floor(secs/3600.0);
-            return( tr("%1 hour(s) ago").arg(hours));
-        } else {
-            int minutes = qRound(secs/60.0);
-            return( tr("%1 minute(s) ago").arg(minutes));
-        }
-    }
-    return tr("Some time ago");
-}
-
 int ActivityListModel::rowCount(const QModelIndex&) const
 {
     return _finalList.count();
diff --git a/src/gui/activitywidget.h b/src/gui/activitywidget.h
index 7949a74e3..df5e73c65 100644
--- a/src/gui/activitywidget.h
+++ b/src/gui/activitywidget.h
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ private slots:
 private:
     void startFetchJob(AccountState* s);
     void combineActivityLists();
-    QString timeSpanFromNow(const QDateTime& dt) const;
 
     QMap<AccountState*, ActivityList> _activityLists;
     ActivityList _finalList;
diff --git a/src/libsync/utility.cpp b/src/libsync/utility.cpp
index dbe25ae38..914e9f86e 100644
--- a/src/libsync/utility.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/utility.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QProcess>
+#include <QObject>
 #include <QThread>
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QSysInfo>
@@ -430,6 +431,36 @@ QByteArray Utility::versionOfInstalledBinary( const QString& command )
     return re;
 }
 
+QString Utility::timeAgoInWords(const QDateTime& dt, const QDateTime& from)
+{
+    QDateTime now = QDateTime::currentDateTime();
+
+    if( from.isValid() ) {
+        now = from;
+    }
+
+    if( dt.daysTo(now)>0 ) {
+        int dtn = dt.daysTo(now);
+        return QObject::tr("%1 day(s) ago", "", dtn).arg(dtn);
+    } else {
+        qint64 secs = dt.secsTo(now);
+
+        if( floor(secs / 3600.0) > 0 ) {
+            int hours = floor(secs/3600.0);
+            return( QObject::tr("%1 hour(s) ago", "", hours).arg(hours));
+        } else {
+            int minutes = qRound(secs/60.0);
+            if( minutes == 0 ) {
+                return QObject::tr("Less than a minute ago");
+            }
+            return( QObject::tr("%1 minute(s) ago", "", minutes).arg(minutes));
+        }
+    }
+    return QObject::tr("Some time ago");
+}
+
+/* --------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
 static const char STOPWATCH_END_TAG[] = "_STOPWATCH_END";
 
 void Utility::StopWatch::start()
diff --git a/src/libsync/utility.h b/src/libsync/utility.h
index 2691e2a98..7aa31e357 100644
--- a/src/libsync/utility.h
+++ b/src/libsync/utility.h
@@ -107,6 +107,16 @@ namespace Utility
 
     OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT QString fileNameForGuiUse(const QString& fName);
 
+    /**
+     * @brief timeAgoInWords - human readable time span
+     *
+     * Use this to get a string that describes the timespan between the first and
+     * the second timestamp in a human readable and understandable form.
+     *
+     * If the second parameter is ommitted, the current time is used.
+     */
+    OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT QString timeAgoInWords(const QDateTime& dt, const QDateTime& from = QDateTime() );
+
     class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT StopWatch {
     private:
         QHash<QString, quint64> _lapTimes;