diff --git a/src/misc/mtime.c b/src/misc/mtime.c
index 71fcb2242c3a2144a325e726095cfd6d18f5ed97..d658447ddeb39691895f949239e8586cf3f6b26b 100644
--- a/src/misc/mtime.c
+++ b/src/misc/mtime.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ void mwait( mtime_t date )
         clock_nanosleep( CLOCK_REALTIME, TIMER_ABSTIME, &ts, NULL );
 #else
 
-    mtime_t delay = mdate() - date;
+    mtime_t delay = date - mdate();
     if( delay > 0 )
         msleep( delay );