diff --git a/lib/acts_as_approvable/approval.rb b/lib/acts_as_approvable/approval.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/acts_as_approvable/approval.rb
+++ b/lib/acts_as_approvable/approval.rb
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class Approval < ActiveRecord::Base
   # Returns true if the affected item has been updated since this approval was
   # created.
   def stale?
-    unlocked? and item.has_attribute?(:updated_at) and created_at < item.updated_at
+    unlocked? and item.has_attribute?(:updated_at) and updated_at < item.updated_at
   end
 
   ##
`#stale?` should check the approvals updated time, not created