diff --git a/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c b/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
index 88c9c65..fe75444 100644
--- a/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/alarmtimer.c
@@ -585,9 +585,14 @@
 				struct itimerspec *new_setting,
 				struct itimerspec *old_setting)
 {
+	ktime_t exp;
+
 	if (!rtcdev)
 		return -ENOTSUPP;
 
+	if (flags & ~TIMER_ABSTIME)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (old_setting)
 		alarm_timer_get(timr, old_setting);
 
@@ -597,8 +602,16 @@
 
 	/* start the timer */
 	timr->it.alarm.interval = timespec_to_ktime(new_setting->it_interval);
-	alarm_start(&timr->it.alarm.alarmtimer,
-			timespec_to_ktime(new_setting->it_value));
+	exp = timespec_to_ktime(new_setting->it_value);
+	/* Convert (if necessary) to absolute time */
+	if (flags != TIMER_ABSTIME) {
+		ktime_t now;
+
+		now = alarm_bases[timr->it.alarm.alarmtimer.type].gettime();
+		exp = ktime_add(now, exp);
+	}
+
+	alarm_start(&timr->it.alarm.alarmtimer, exp);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -730,6 +743,9 @@
 	if (!alarmtimer_get_rtcdev())
 		return -ENOTSUPP;
 
+	if (flags & ~TIMER_ABSTIME)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (!capable(CAP_WAKE_ALARM))
 		return -EPERM;