diff --git a/statime-linux/src/clock/mod.rs b/statime-linux/src/clock/mod.rs
index 5d2c0d7e8..36627eaf2 100644
--- a/statime-linux/src/clock/mod.rs
+++ b/statime-linux/src/clock/mod.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,22 @@ impl LinuxClock {
         })
     }
 
+    // This forces the clock to start with seconds such that the current time in
+    // nanoseconds is representable as a u64.
+    pub fn init(&mut self) -> Result<(), clock_steering::unix::Error> {
+        use clock_steering::Clock;
+
+        let ts = self.clock.now()?;
+        if ts.seconds < 0 || ts.seconds > (u64::MAX / 1000000000) as i64 {
+            self.clock.step_clock(TimeOffset {
+                seconds: -ts.seconds + 1,
+                nanos: 0,
+            })?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn open_idx(idx: u32) -> std::io::Result<Self> {
         let path = format!("/dev/ptp{}", idx);
         Self::open(path)
diff --git a/statime-linux/src/main.rs b/statime-linux/src/main.rs
index 7caafe762..77c264a42 100644
--- a/statime-linux/src/main.rs
+++ b/statime-linux/src/main.rs
@@ -253,10 +253,11 @@ async fn actual_main() {
         let network_mode = port_config.network_mode;
         let (port_clock, timestamping) = match port_config.hardware_clock {
             Some(idx) => {
-                let clock = LinuxClock::open_idx(idx).expect("Unable to open clock");
+                let mut clock = LinuxClock::open_idx(idx).expect("Unable to open clock");
                 if let Some(id) = clock_name_map.get(&idx) {
                     clock_port_map.push(Some(*id));
                 } else {
+                    clock.init().expect("Unable to initialize clock");
                     let id = internal_sync_senders.len();
                     clock_port_map.push(Some(id));
                     clock_name_map.insert(idx, id);