diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/views/decorators.py b/django/contrib/admin/views/decorators.py
index 9dfe651fe6..bdd8257b2e 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/views/decorators.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/views/decorators.py
@@ -90,8 +90,6 @@ def staff_member_required(view_func):
             if user.is_active and user.is_staff:
                 login(request, user)
                 # TODO: set last_login with an event.
-                user.last_login = datetime.datetime.now()
-                user.save()
                 if request.POST.has_key('post_data'):
                     post_data = _decode_post_data(request.POST['post_data'])
                     if post_data and not post_data.has_key(LOGIN_FORM_KEY):
diff --git a/django/contrib/auth/__init__.py b/django/contrib/auth/__init__.py
index 8c92732f44..d37450805f 100644
--- a/django/contrib/auth/__init__.py
+++ b/django/contrib/auth/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import datetime
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 
 SESSION_KEY = '_auth_user_id'
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ def login(request, user):
     if user is None:
         user = request.user
     # TODO: It would be nice to support different login methods, like signed cookies.
+    user.last_login = datetime.datetime.now()
+    user.save()
     request.session[SESSION_KEY] = user.id
     request.session[BACKEND_SESSION_KEY] = user.backend