diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/lag.py b/earwigbot/commands/lag.py
index 34376c0..5b084cb 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/lag.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/lag.py
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ class Lag(Command):
             return
 
         msg = "\x0302{0}\x0F: Toolserver replag is {1} seconds; database maxlag is {2} seconds."
-        msg = msg.format(site.name, site.get_replag(), site.get_maxlag())
+        replag, maxlag = site.get_replag(), site.get_maxlag()
+        msg = msg.format(site.name, self.format(replag), self.format(maxlag))
         self.reply(data, msg)
 
     def get_site(self, data):
@@ -74,3 +75,15 @@ class Lag(Command):
                 self.reply(data, msg.format(project, lang))
                 return
         return site
+
+    def format(self, seconds):
+        parts = [("year", 31536000), ("day", 86400), ("hour", 3600),
+                 ("minute", 60), ("second", 1)]
+        msg = []
+        for name, size in parts:
+            num = seconds / size
+            seconds -= num * size
+            if num:
+                chunk = "{0} {1}".format(num, name if num == 1 else name + "s")
+                msg.append(chunk)
+        return ", ".join(msg) if msg else "0 seconds"
diff --git a/earwigbot/commands/registration.py b/earwigbot/commands/registration.py
index 05eff7c..8180281 100644
--- a/earwigbot/commands/registration.py
+++ b/earwigbot/commands/registration.py
@@ -60,17 +60,13 @@ class Registration(Command):
         self.reply(data, msg.format(name, date, gender, age))
 
     def get_diff(self, t1, t2):
-        parts = {"years": 31536000, "days": 86400, "hours": 3600,
-                 "minutes": 60, "seconds": 1}
+        parts = [("year", 31536000), ("day", 86400), ("hour", 3600),
+                 ("minute", 60), ("second", 1)]
         msg = []
-
-        order = sorted(parts.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)
-        for key, value in order:
-            num = 0
-            while t2 - t1 > value:
-                t1 += value
-                num += 1
-            if num or (not num and msg):
-                msg.append(" ".join((str(num), key)))
-
-        return ", ".join(msg)
+        for name, size in parts:
+            num = (t2 - t1) / size
+            t1 += num * size
+            if num:
+                chunk = "{0} {1}".format(num, name if num == 1 else name + "s")
+                msg.append(chunk)
+        return ", ".join(msg) if msg else "0 seconds"