diff --git a/app/jobs/scheduled/leader_promotions.rb b/app/jobs/scheduled/leader_promotions.rb
index 12697f28f..2c47c612d 100644
--- a/app/jobs/scheduled/leader_promotions.rb
+++ b/app/jobs/scheduled/leader_promotions.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ module Jobs
                            .where(new_value: TrustLevel.levels[:leader].to_s)
                            .exists?
 
-        unless Promotion.leader_met?(u)
+        if Promotion.leader_lost?(u)
           demoted_user_ids << u.id
           Promotion.new(u).change_trust_level!(:regular)
         end
diff --git a/app/models/leader_requirements.rb b/app/models/leader_requirements.rb
index 7ae448576..c5761cc68 100644
--- a/app/models/leader_requirements.rb
+++ b/app/models/leader_requirements.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ class LeaderRequirements
 
   TIME_PERIOD = 100 # days
 
+  LOW_WATER_MARK = 0.9
+
   attr_accessor :days_visited, :min_days_visited,
                 :num_topics_replied_to, :min_topics_replied_to,
                 :topics_viewed, :min_topics_viewed,
@@ -24,9 +26,20 @@ class LeaderRequirements
       topics_viewed >= min_topics_viewed &&
       posts_read >= min_posts_read &&
       num_flagged_posts <= max_flagged_posts &&
+      num_flagged_by_users <= max_flagged_by_users &&
       topics_viewed_all_time >= min_topics_viewed_all_time &&
-      posts_read_all_time >= min_posts_read_all_time &&
-      num_flagged_by_users <= max_flagged_by_users
+      posts_read_all_time >= min_posts_read_all_time
+  end
+
+  def requirements_lost?
+    days_visited < min_days_visited * LOW_WATER_MARK ||
+    num_topics_replied_to < min_topics_replied_to * LOW_WATER_MARK ||
+    topics_viewed < min_topics_viewed * LOW_WATER_MARK ||
+    posts_read < min_posts_read * LOW_WATER_MARK ||
+    num_flagged_posts > max_flagged_posts ||
+    num_flagged_by_users > max_flagged_by_users ||
+    topics_viewed_all_time < min_topics_viewed_all_time ||
+    posts_read_all_time < min_posts_read_all_time
   end
 
   def days_visited
@@ -34,7 +47,7 @@ class LeaderRequirements
   end
 
   def min_days_visited
-    (TIME_PERIOD * (SiteSetting.leader_requires_days_visited.to_f / 100.0)).to_i
+    SiteSetting.leader_requires_days_visited
   end
 
   def num_topics_replied_to
diff --git a/lib/promotion.rb b/lib/promotion.rb
index a26a772a1..88f1c2671 100644
--- a/lib/promotion.rb
+++ b/lib/promotion.rb
@@ -104,4 +104,8 @@ class Promotion
     LeaderRequirements.new(user).requirements_met?
   end
 
+  def self.leader_lost?(user)
+    LeaderRequirements.new(user).requirements_lost?
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/jobs/leader_promotions_spec.rb b/spec/jobs/leader_promotions_spec.rb
index 9fa1aabd9..3a5d65458 100644
--- a/spec/jobs/leader_promotions_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jobs/leader_promotions_spec.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ describe Jobs::LeaderPromotions do
       end
 
       LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_met?).returns(false)
+      LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_lost?).returns(true)
       run_job
       user.reload.trust_level.should == TrustLevel.levels[:regular]
     end
@@ -49,8 +50,22 @@ describe Jobs::LeaderPromotions do
       end
 
       LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_met?).returns(false)
+      LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_lost?).returns(true)
       run_job
       user.reload.trust_level.should == TrustLevel.levels[:leader]
     end
+
+    it "doesn't demote if user hasn't lost requirements (low water mark)" do
+      user = nil
+      Timecop.freeze(4.days.ago) do
+        user = create_leader_user
+      end
+
+      LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_met?).returns(false)
+      LeaderRequirements.any_instance.stubs(:requirements_lost?).returns(false)
+      run_job
+      user.reload.trust_level.should == TrustLevel.levels[:leader]
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/leader_requirements_spec.rb b/spec/models/leader_requirements_spec.rb
index a726a29c8..432f4c782 100644
--- a/spec/models/leader_requirements_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/leader_requirements_spec.rb
@@ -144,4 +144,65 @@ describe LeaderRequirements do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "requirements" do
+
+    before do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_days_visited).returns(50)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_topics_replied_to).returns(10)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_topics_viewed).returns(25)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_posts_read).returns(25)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_topics_viewed_all_time).returns(200)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:min_posts_read_all_time).returns(500)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:max_flagged_posts).returns(5)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:max_flagged_by_users).returns(5)
+
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:days_visited).returns(50)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:num_topics_replied_to).returns(10)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:topics_viewed).returns(25)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:posts_read).returns(25)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:topics_viewed_all_time).returns(200)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:posts_read_all_time).returns(500)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:num_flagged_posts).returns(0)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:num_flagged_by_users).returns(0)
+    end
+
+    it "are met when all requirements are met" do
+      leader_requirements.requirements_met?.should == true
+    end
+
+    it "are not met if too few days visited" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:days_visited).returns(49)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_met?.should == false
+    end
+
+    it "are not lost if requirements are close" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:days_visited).returns(45)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:num_topics_replied_to).returns(9)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:topics_viewed).returns(23)
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:posts_read).returns(23)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_lost?.should == false
+    end
+
+    it "are lost if not enough visited" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:days_visited).returns(44)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_lost?.should == true
+    end
+
+    it "are lost if not enough topics replied to" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:num_topics_replied_to).returns(8)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_lost?.should == true
+    end
+
+    it "are lost if not enough topics viewed" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:topics_viewed).returns(22)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_lost?.should == true
+    end
+
+    it "are lost if not enough posts read" do
+      leader_requirements.stubs(:posts_read).returns(22)
+      leader_requirements.requirements_lost?.should == true
+    end
+
+  end
+
 end