diff --git a/bin/alert_inactive_users.pl b/bin/alert_inactive_users.pl
index 93c00f36..7a2dcd3d 100644
--- a/bin/alert_inactive_users.pl
+++ b/bin/alert_inactive_users.pl
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ my $server_url = $config->get('server_url');
 my $inactivity_time_out = $config->get('self_destruct_after_inactive_days') || 20;
 while (my $empire = $empires->next) {
     out($empire->name);
-    my $ttl =  $inactivity_time_out - sprintf('%0.f',($empire->last_login->epoch - $start) / (60 * 60 * 24) );
+    my $ttl =  $inactivity_time_out - sprintf('%0.f',($start - $empire->last_login->epoch) / (60 * 60 * 24) );
     $empire->send_email('We Miss You',
         $empire->name
         .",\n\nIt has been a while since we have seen you around the Lacuna Expanse, and we have missed you. It is important that you log in regularly because your empire will automatically activate its self-destruct sequence in "