diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/sdlayer.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/sdlayer.c
index cd8ffbce7..56f1b56c5 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/sdlayer.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/sdlayer.c
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ void releaseallbuttons(void)
 static Uint32 timerfreq=0;
 static Uint32 timerlastsample=0;
 int32_t timerticspersec=0;
-static double hiticksperms = 1e308;
+static double msperhitick = 0;
 static void(*usertimercallback)(void) = NULL;
 
 
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ int32_t inittimer(int32_t tickspersecond)
 
     usertimercallback = NULL;
 
-    hiticksperms = (double)gethitickspersec() / 1000;
+    msperhitick = 1000.0 / (double)gethitickspersec();
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ void uninittimer(void)
 
     timerfreq=0;
 
-    hiticksperms = 1e308;
+    msperhitick = 0;
 }
 
 //
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ uint64_t gethitickspersec(void)
 ATTRIBUTE((flatten))
 double gethitickms(void)
 {
-    return (double)gethiticks() / hiticksperms;
+    return (double)gethiticks() * msperhitick;
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/winlayer.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/winlayer.c
index cccc30de7..b422e0b0b 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/winlayer.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/winlayer.c
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ static const char *GetDInputError(HRESULT code)
 static int64_t timerfreq=0;
 static int32_t timerlastsample=0;
 int32_t timerticspersec=0;
-static double hiticksperms = 1e308;
+static double msperhitick = 0;
 static void (*usertimercallback)(void) = NULL;
 
 //  This timer stuff is all Ken's idea.
@@ -1603,7 +1603,7 @@ int32_t inittimer(int32_t tickspersecond)
 
     usertimercallback = NULL;
 
-    hiticksperms = (double)gethitickspersec() / 1000;
+    msperhitick = 1000.0 / (double)gethitickspersec();
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ void uninittimer(void)
     timerfreq=0;
     timerticspersec = 0;
 
-    hiticksperms = 1e308;
+    msperhitick = 0;
 }
 
 //
@@ -1672,7 +1672,7 @@ uint64_t gethitickspersec(void)
 ATTRIBUTE((flatten))
 double gethitickms(void)
 {
-    return (double)gethiticks() / hiticksperms;
+    return (double)gethiticks() * msperhitick;
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/test.elua b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/test.elua
index 730d3db6b..5468fd7eb 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/test.elua
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/test.elua
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ gameevent(gv.EVENT_ENTERLEVEL,
 
               t = gv.gethitickms()-t
 
-              -- x86_64: 40ns/call, x86: 290 ns/call
-              -- Windows 32-bit: about 1 us/call
+              -- x86_64: 35ns/call, x86: 290 ns/call?
+              -- Windows 32-bit: about 1 us/call?
               printf("%d gethitickms() calls took %.03f ms (%.03f us/call)",
                      N, t, (t*1000)/N)