diff --git a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
index 052773df9f03..d00e85ac10d6 100644
--- a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
@@ -1106,7 +1106,12 @@ static void __hrtimer_init(struct hrtimer *timer, clockid_t clock_id,
 
 	cpu_base = raw_cpu_ptr(&hrtimer_bases);
 
-	if (clock_id == CLOCK_REALTIME && mode != HRTIMER_MODE_ABS)
+	/*
+	 * POSIX magic: Relative CLOCK_REALTIME timers are not affected by
+	 * clock modifications, so they needs to become CLOCK_MONOTONIC to
+	 * ensure POSIX compliance.
+	 */
+	if (clock_id == CLOCK_REALTIME && mode & HRTIMER_MODE_REL)
 		clock_id = CLOCK_MONOTONIC;
 
 	base = hrtimer_clockid_to_base(clock_id);