diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/timer.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/timer.dm
index 704e7fb19e0..7fbc146f89e 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/timer.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/timer.dm
@@ -578,7 +578,10 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(timer)
 		stack_trace("addtimer called with a callback assigned to a qdeleted object. In the future such timers will not \
 			be supported and may refuse to run or run with a 0 wait")
 
-	wait = max(CEILING(wait, world.tick_lag), world.tick_lag)
+	if (flags & TIMER_CLIENT_TIME) // REALTIMEOFDAY has a resolution of 1 decisecond
+		wait = max(CEILING(wait, 1), 1) // so if we use tick_lag timers may be inserted in the "past"
+	else
+		wait = max(CEILING(wait, world.tick_lag), world.tick_lag)
 
 	if(wait >= INFINITY)
 		CRASH("Attempted to create timer with INFINITY delay")