diff --git a/docs/rh-log.txt b/docs/rh-log.txt
index 7e9621ba6..b3b3fbe56 100644
--- a/docs/rh-log.txt
+++ b/docs/rh-log.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+January 24, 2009
+- Removed BaseTime initialization from sdl/i_system.cpp as per Chris's
+  recommendation.
+
 January 24, 2009  (Changes by Graf Zahl)
 - Fixed: The sight checking code didn't initialize the myseethrough variable.
 - Fixed: With COMPAT_TRACE switched on linedef actions on lines having
diff --git a/src/sdl/i_system.cpp b/src/sdl/i_system.cpp
index f39d81755..bf3ed803b 100644
--- a/src/sdl/i_system.cpp
+++ b/src/sdl/i_system.cpp
@@ -119,8 +119,6 @@ static int TicFrozen;
 unsigned int I_MSTime (void)
 {
 	unsigned int time = SDL_GetTicks ();
-	if (!BaseTime)
-		BaseTime = time;
 	return time - BaseTime;
 }
 
@@ -135,11 +133,7 @@ int I_GetTimePolled (bool saveMS)
 		return TicFrozen;
 	}
 
-	DWORD tm = SDL_GetTicks() + 1;	// Make sure this isn't 0.
-	if (BaseTime == 0)
-	{
-		BaseTime = tm;
-	}
+	DWORD tm = SDL_GetTicks();
 
 	if (saveMS)
 	{