diff --git a/britney.py b/britney.py
index 241bc54..3ff371d 100755
--- a/britney.py
+++ b/britney.py
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ class Britney(object):
 
             # read the minimum days associated with the urgencies
             urgency_old = urgencies.get(l[0], None)
-            mindays_old = self.MINDAYS.get(urgency_old, sys.maxint)
+            mindays_old = self.MINDAYS.get(urgency_old, 1000)
             mindays_new = self.MINDAYS.get(l[2], self.MINDAYS[self.options.default_urgency])
 
             # if the new urgency is lower (so the min days are higher), do nothing