diff --git a/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c b/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
index 2c3a23d77704..6fcc367ad531 100644
--- a/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
@@ -616,7 +616,8 @@ static int alarm_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timr, int flags,
 	 * Rate limit to the tick as a hot fix to prevent DOS. Will be
 	 * mopped up later.
 	 */
-	if (ktime_to_ns(timr->it.alarm.interval) < TICK_NSEC)
+	if (timr->it.alarm.interval.tv64 &&
+			ktime_to_ns(timr->it.alarm.interval) < TICK_NSEC)
 		timr->it.alarm.interval = ktime_set(0, TICK_NSEC);
 
 	exp = timespec_to_ktime(new_setting->it_value);