diff --git a/sched/clock/clock_initialize.c b/sched/clock/clock_initialize.c
index 1034fc2c5f1..8d770e388a1 100644
--- a/sched/clock/clock_initialize.c
+++ b/sched/clock/clock_initialize.c
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_SCHED_TICKLESS
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSTEM_TIME64
-volatile uint64_t g_system_timer = INITIAL_SYSTEM_TIMER_TICKS;
+volatile uint64_t g_system_timer;
 #else
-volatile uint32_t g_system_timer = INITIAL_SYSTEM_TIMER_TICKS;
+volatile uint32_t g_system_timer;
 #endif
 #endif
 
@@ -170,31 +170,37 @@ int clock_basetime(FAR struct timespec *tp)
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_RTC
 static void clock_inittime(void)
 {
   /* (Re-)initialize the time value to match the RTC */
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_CLOCK_TIMEKEEPING
-  struct timespec ts;
-
+#ifndef CONFIG_RTC_HIRES
   clock_basetime(&g_basetime);
-  clock_systimespec(&ts);
-
-  /* Adjust base time to hide initial timer ticks. */
-
-  g_basetime.tv_sec  -= ts.tv_sec;
-  g_basetime.tv_nsec -= ts.tv_nsec;
-  while (g_basetime.tv_nsec < 0)
+#endif
+#ifndef CONFIG_SCHED_TICKLESS
+  g_system_timer = INITIAL_SYSTEM_TIMER_TICKS;
+  if (g_system_timer > 0)
     {
-      g_basetime.tv_nsec += NSEC_PER_SEC;
-      g_basetime.tv_sec--;
+      struct timespec ts;
+
+      (void)clock_ticks2time((sclock_t)g_system_timer, &ts);
+
+      /* Adjust base time to hide initial timer ticks. */
+
+      g_basetime.tv_sec  -= ts.tv_sec;
+      g_basetime.tv_nsec -= ts.tv_nsec;
+      while (g_basetime.tv_nsec < 0)
+        {
+          g_basetime.tv_nsec += NSEC_PER_SEC;
+          g_basetime.tv_sec--;
+        }
     }
+#endif /* !CONFIG_SCHED_TICKLESS */
 #else
   clock_inittimekeeping();
 #endif
 }
-#endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
@@ -216,11 +222,11 @@ void clock_initialize(void)
    */
 
   up_rtc_initialize();
+#endif
 
   /* Initialize the time value to match the RTC */
 
   clock_inittime();
-#endif
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************