diff --git a/__tests__/main.test.ts b/__tests__/main.test.ts
index 1940809f4..1ea8766af 100644
--- a/__tests__/main.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/main.test.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const DefaultProcessorOptions: IssueProcessorOptions = {
   staleIssueMessage: 'This issue is stale',
   stalePrMessage: 'This PR is stale',
   daysBeforeStale: 1,
-  daysBeforeClose: 1,
+  daysBeforeClose: 30,
   staleIssueLabel: 'Stale',
   exemptIssueLabels: '',
   stalePrLabel: 'Stale',
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ test('empty issue list results in 1 operation', async () => {
   expect(operationsLeft).toEqual(99);
 });
 
-test('processing an issue with no label will make it stale', async () => {
+test('processing an issue with no label will make it stale and close it, if it is old enough', async () => {
   const TestIssueList: Issue[] = [
     generateIssue(1, 'An issue with no label', '2020-01-01T17:00:00Z')
   ];
@@ -77,6 +77,30 @@ test('processing an issue with no label will make it stale', async () => {
   // process our fake issue list
   await processor.processIssues(1);
 
+  expect(processor.staleIssues.length).toEqual(1);
+  expect(processor.closedIssues.length).toEqual(1);
+});
+
+test('processing an issue with no label will make it stale but not close it', async () => {
+  // issue should be from 2 days ago so it will be
+  // stale but not close-able, based on default settings
+  let issueDate = new Date();
+  issueDate.setDate(issueDate.getDate() - 2);
+
+  const TestIssueList: Issue[] = [
+    generateIssue(1, 'An issue with no label', issueDate.toDateString())
+  ];
+
+  const processor = new IssueProcessor(
+    DefaultProcessorOptions,
+    async p => (p == 1 ? TestIssueList : []),
+    async (num, dt) => [],
+    async (issue, label) => new Date().toDateString()
+  );
+
+  // process our fake issue list
+  await processor.processIssues(1);
+
   expect(processor.staleIssues.length).toEqual(1);
   expect(processor.closedIssues.length).toEqual(0);
 });
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index 33f2755a5..e1937e41b 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -8510,14 +8510,20 @@ class IssueProcessor {
                     core.debug(`Skipping ${issueType} because it has an exempt label`);
                     continue; // don't process exempt issues
                 }
-                if (IssueProcessor.isLabeled(issue, staleLabel)) {
-                    core.debug(`Found a stale ${issueType}`);
-                    yield this.processStaleIssue(issue, issueType, staleLabel);
-                }
-                else if (!IssueProcessor.updatedSince(issue.updated_at, this.options.daysBeforeStale)) {
-                    core.debug(`Marking ${issueType} stale because it was last updated on ${issue.updated_at}`);
+                // does this issue have a stale label?
+                let isStale = IssueProcessor.isLabeled(issue, staleLabel);
+                // determine if this issue needs to be marked stale first
+                if (!isStale &&
+                    !IssueProcessor.updatedSince(issue.updated_at, this.options.daysBeforeStale)) {
+                    core.debug(`Marking ${issueType} stale because it was last updated on ${issue.updated_at} and it does not have a stale label`);
                     yield this.markStale(issue, staleMessage, staleLabel);
                     this.operationsLeft -= 2;
+                    isStale = true; // this issue is now considered stale
+                }
+                // process any issues marked stale (including the issue above, if it was marked)
+                if (isStale) {
+                    core.debug(`Found a stale ${issueType}`);
+                    yield this.processStaleIssue(issue, issueType, staleLabel);
                 }
             }
             // do the next batch
diff --git a/src/IssueProcessor.ts b/src/IssueProcessor.ts
index 7188835f3..21d5eabe4 100644
--- a/src/IssueProcessor.ts
+++ b/src/IssueProcessor.ts
@@ -150,20 +150,29 @@ export class IssueProcessor {
         continue; // don't process exempt issues
       }
 
-      if (IssueProcessor.isLabeled(issue, staleLabel)) {
-        core.debug(`Found a stale ${issueType}`);
-        await this.processStaleIssue(issue, issueType, staleLabel);
-      } else if (
+      // does this issue have a stale label?
+      let isStale = IssueProcessor.isLabeled(issue, staleLabel);
+
+      // determine if this issue needs to be marked stale first
+      if (
+        !isStale &&
         !IssueProcessor.updatedSince(
           issue.updated_at,
           this.options.daysBeforeStale
         )
       ) {
         core.debug(
-          `Marking ${issueType} stale because it was last updated on ${issue.updated_at}`
+          `Marking ${issueType} stale because it was last updated on ${issue.updated_at} and it does not have a stale label`
         );
         await this.markStale(issue, staleMessage, staleLabel);
         this.operationsLeft -= 2;
+        isStale = true; // this issue is now considered stale
+      }
+
+      // process any issues marked stale (including the issue above, if it was marked)
+      if (isStale) {
+        core.debug(`Found a stale ${issueType}`);
+        await this.processStaleIssue(issue, issueType, staleLabel);
       }
     }