diff --git a/kernel/hrtimer.c b/kernel/hrtimer.c
index 22a25142e4cf..e65dd0b47cdc 100644
--- a/kernel/hrtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/hrtimer.c
@@ -850,6 +850,14 @@ hrtimer_start(struct hrtimer *timer, ktime_t tim, const enum hrtimer_mode mode)
 #ifdef CONFIG_TIME_LOW_RES
 		tim = ktime_add(tim, base->resolution);
 #endif
+		/*
+		 * Careful here: User space might have asked for a
+		 * very long sleep, so the add above might result in a
+		 * negative number, which enqueues the timer in front
+		 * of the queue.
+		 */
+		if (tim.tv64 < 0)
+			tim.tv64 = KTIME_MAX;
 	}
 	timer->expires = tim;