diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/apic.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/apic.c
index e4dd9771..8ce93224 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/apic.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/apic.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ void arch_apic_timerinit() {
 
 	writelapic(APIC_LVT_TIMER, vec);
 
-	current_cpu()->timer = timer_new(ticksperus, armtimer, stoptimer);
+	current_cpu()->timer = timer_new(ticksperus, armtimer, stoptimer, 0xffffffff);
 	__assert(current_cpu()->timer);
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/kernel/timer.h b/kernel-src/include/kernel/timer.h
index b77d25d7..e42ee7ed 100644
--- a/kernel-src/include/kernel/timer.h
+++ b/kernel-src/include/kernel/timer.h
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ typedef struct timerentry_t {
 
 typedef struct {
 	spinlock_t lock;
+	time_t tick_limit;
 	time_t ticksperus;
 	time_t tickcurrent;
+	time_t current_target;
 	bool running;
 	void (*arm)(time_t);
 	time_t (*stop)();
@@ -32,6 +34,6 @@ void timer_stop(timer_t *timer);
 void timer_isr(timer_t *timer, context_t *context);
 void timer_insert(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry, dpcfn_t fn, dpcarg_t arg, time_t us, bool repeating);
 uintmax_t timer_remove(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry);
-timer_t *timer_new(time_t ticksperus, void (*arm)(time_t), time_t (*stop)());
+timer_t *timer_new(time_t ticksperus, void (*arm)(time_t), time_t (*stop)(), time_t tick_limit);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/timer.c b/kernel-src/sys/timer.c
index acc4f977..e9789113 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/timer.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/timer.c
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ static void insert(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry, time_t us) {
 	}
 }
 
+// expects IPL to be at least IPL_TIMER
+static inline void arm_for_next_target(timer_t *timer) {
+	time_t target;
+	if (timer->queue)
+		target = min(timer->queue->absolutetick - timer->tickcurrent, timer->tick_limit);
+	else
+		target = timer->tick_limit;
+
+	timer->current_target = timer->tickcurrent + target;
+	timer->arm(target);
+}
+
 // expects IPL to be at least IPL_TIMER
 static void timercheck(timer_t *timer) {
 	while (timer->queue && timer->queue->absolutetick == timer->tickcurrent) {
@@ -52,14 +64,12 @@ static void timercheck(timer_t *timer) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TODO if an entry is removed and the timer still fires,
-// it will skip forwards in time which is bad BAD
 void timer_isr(timer_t *timer, context_t *context) {
 	spinlock_acquire(&timer->lock);
 
 	__assert(timer->queue);
 
-	timer->tickcurrent = timer->queue->absolutetick;
+	timer->tickcurrent = timer->current_target;
 	timerentry_t *oldentry = timer->queue;
 	timer->queue = timer->queue->next;
 	oldentry->next = NULL;
@@ -71,10 +81,8 @@ void timer_isr(timer_t *timer, context_t *context) {
 
 	dpc_enqueue(&oldentry->dpc, oldentry->fn, oldentry->arg);
 
-	if (timer->queue) {
-		timercheck(timer);
-		timer->arm(timer->queue->absolutetick - timer->tickcurrent);
-	}
+	timercheck(timer);
+	arm_for_next_target(timer);
 
 	spinlock_release(&timer->lock);
 }
@@ -89,7 +97,7 @@ void timer_resume(timer_t *timer) {
 		goto leave;
 
 	timercheck(timer);
-	timer->arm(timer->queue->absolutetick - timer->tickcurrent);
+	arm_for_next_target(timer);
 
 	leave:
 	spinlock_release(&timer->lock);
@@ -123,7 +131,7 @@ void timer_insert(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry, dpcfn_t fn, dpcarg_t arg,
 
 	if (timer->running) {
 		timercheck(timer);
-		timer->arm(timer->queue->absolutetick - timer->tickcurrent);
+		arm_for_next_target(timer);
 	}
 
 	spinlock_release(&timer->lock);
@@ -165,7 +173,7 @@ uintmax_t timer_remove(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry) {
 
 	if (timer->queue) {
 		timercheck(timer);
-		timer->arm(timer->queue->absolutetick - timer->tickcurrent);
+		arm_for_next_target(timer);
 	}
 
 	cleanup:
@@ -174,13 +182,14 @@ uintmax_t timer_remove(timer_t *timer, timerentry_t *entry) {
 	return timeremaining;
 }
 
-timer_t *timer_new(time_t ticksperus, void (*arm)(time_t), time_t (*stop)()) {
+timer_t *timer_new(time_t ticksperus, void (*arm)(time_t), time_t (*stop)(), time_t tick_limit) {
 	timer_t *timer = alloc(sizeof(timer_t));
 	if (timer == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
 	timer->ticksperus = ticksperus;
 	timer->running = false;
+	timer->tick_limit = tick_limit;
 	timer->arm = arm;
 	timer->stop = stop;
 	SPINLOCK_INIT(timer->lock);