Index: ms-functions.php
===================================================================
--- ms-functions.php	(revision 13616)
+++ ms-functions.php	(working copy)
@@ -10,15 +10,13 @@
 
 	$stats['blogs'] = get_blog_count();
 
-	$count_ts = get_site_option( 'user_count_ts' );
-	if ( time() - $count_ts > 3600 ) {
-		$count = $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(ID) FROM $wpdb->users" );
-		update_site_option( 'user_count', $count );
-		update_site_option( 'user_count_ts', time() );
+	if ( $stats['users'] = get_site_transient( 'user_count')) {
+
 	} else {
-		$count = get_site_option( 'user_count' );
+		$stats['users'] = $wpdb->get_var( "SELECT COUNT(ID) FROM $wpdb->users");
+		set_site_transient('user_count', $stats['users'], '3600');
 	}
-	$stats['users'] = $count;
+
 	return $stats;
 }