diff --git a/contracts/eosio.system/voting.cpp b/contracts/eosio.system/voting.cpp
index 8eb98731196..4b850c2dbad 100644
--- a/contracts/eosio.system/voting.cpp
+++ b/contracts/eosio.system/voting.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ namespace eosiosystem {
 
    double stake2vote( int64_t staked ) {
       /// TODO subtract 2080 brings the large numbers closer to this decade
-      double weight = int64_t( (now() / (seconds_per_day * 7)) ) / double( 52 );
+      double weight = int64_t( (now() - (block_timestamp::block_timestamp_epoch / 1000)) / (seconds_per_day * 7) )  / double( 52 );
       return double(staked) * std::pow( 2, weight );
    }
    /**
diff --git a/contracts/eosiolib/time.hpp b/contracts/eosiolib/time.hpp
index 47b4d1f32a1..ff9d0e47757 100644
--- a/contracts/eosiolib/time.hpp
+++ b/contracts/eosiolib/time.hpp
@@ -156,11 +156,12 @@ namespace eosio {
          bool   operator ==( const block_timestamp& t )const   { return slot == t.slot; }
          bool   operator !=( const block_timestamp& t )const   { return slot != t.slot; }
          uint32_t slot;
+         static constexpr int32_t block_interval_ms = 500;
+         static constexpr int64_t block_timestamp_epoch = 946684800000ll;  // epoch is year 2000
 
          EOSLIB_SERIALIZE( block_timestamp, (slot) )
       private:
-      static constexpr int32_t block_interval_ms = 500;
-      static constexpr int64_t block_timestamp_epoch = 946684800000ll;  // epoch is year 2000
+      
 
       void set_time_point(const time_point& t) {
          int64_t micro_since_epoch = t.time_since_epoch().count();
diff --git a/unittests/eosio.system_tests.cpp b/unittests/eosio.system_tests.cpp
index db766b8da70..fb061d05275 100644
--- a/unittests/eosio.system_tests.cpp
+++ b/unittests/eosio.system_tests.cpp
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class eosio_system_tester : public TESTER {
 
    double stake2votes( asset stake ) {
       auto now = control->pending_block_time().time_since_epoch().count() / 1000000;
-      return stake.amount * pow(2, int64_t(now/ (86400 * 7))/ double(52) ); // 52 week periods (i.e. ~years)
+      return stake.amount * pow(2, int64_t((now - (config::block_timestamp_epoch / 1000)) / (86400 * 7))/ double(52) ); // 52 week periods (i.e. ~years)
    }
 
    double stake2votes( const string& s ) {