diff --git a/sched/timer/timer_settime.c b/sched/timer/timer_settime.c
index 866d8d58bd..dd08d12956 100644
--- a/sched/timer/timer_settime.c
+++ b/sched/timer/timer_settime.c
@@ -305,7 +305,9 @@ int timer_settime(timer_t timerid, int flags,
     {
       /* Calculate a delay corresponding to the absolute time in 'value' */
 
-      timer->pt_expected = clock_time2ticks(&value->it_value);
+      clock_abstime2ticks(timer->pt_clock, &value->it_value,
+                          &timer->pt_expected);
+      timer->pt_expected += clock_systime_ticks();
     }
   else
     {