diff --git a/public/js/wn/dom.js b/public/js/wn/dom.js
index 6e79df4acc..b0f745520d 100644
--- a/public/js/wn/dom.js
+++ b/public/js/wn/dom.js
@@ -133,14 +133,14 @@ wn.get_shade = function(color, factor) {
 	var get_int = function(hex) {
 		return parseInt(hex,16); 
 	}
-	return get_hex(get_int(color.substr(0,2)) * factor)
-		+ get_hex(get_int(color.substr(2,2)) * factor)
-		+ get_hex(get_int(color.substr(4,2)) * factor)
+	return get_hex(get_int(color.substr(0,2)) + factor)
+		+ get_hex(get_int(color.substr(2,2)) + factor)
+		+ get_hex(get_int(color.substr(4,2)) + factor)
 }
 
 wn.get_gradient_css = function(col) {
-	var col1 = wn.get_shade(col, 1.05);
-	var col2 = wn.get_shade(col, 0.95);
+	var col1 = wn.get_shade(col, 10);
+	var col2 = wn.get_shade(col, -10);
 	return "\nbackground-color: " + col + " !important;"
 		+"\nbackground: -moz-linear-gradient(top,  #"+col1+" 0%, #"+col2+" 99%) !important;"
 		+"\nbackground:-webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,#"+col1+"), color-stop(99%,#"+col2+")) !important;"
diff --git a/webnotes/sessions.py b/webnotes/sessions.py
index c6b5fff527..2b122a78c4 100644
--- a/webnotes/sessions.py
+++ b/webnotes/sessions.py
@@ -208,12 +208,24 @@ class Session:
 		"""extend session expiry"""
 		self.data['data']['last_updated'] = webnotes.utils.now()
 
-		if webnotes.session['user'] != 'Guest' and (self.time_diff and \
-			self.time_diff > 1800):
+		# update session in db
+		time_diff = None
+		last_updated = webnotes.cache().get_value("last_db_session_update:" + self.sid)
+
+		if last_updated:
+			time_diff = webnotes.utils.time_diff_in_seconds(webnotes.utils.now(), 
+				last_updated)
+
+		if webnotes.session['user'] != 'Guest' and \
+			((not time_diff) or (time_diff > 1800)):
 			# database persistence is secondary, don't update it too often
 			webnotes.conn.sql("""update tabSessions set sessiondata=%s, 
 				lastupdate=NOW() where sid=%s""" , (str(self.data['data']), 
 				self.data['sid']))
+				
+			# update timestamp of update
+			webnotes.cache().set_value("last_db_session_update:" + self.sid, 
+				webnotes.utils.now())
 
 		if webnotes.request.cmd!="webnotes.sessions.clear":
 			webnotes.cache().set_value("session:" + self.sid, self.data)