diff --git a/kernel/time/timekeeping.c b/kernel/time/timekeeping.c
index bca3667..81dc975 100644
--- a/kernel/time/timekeeping.c
+++ b/kernel/time/timekeeping.c
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ static __always_inline void timekeeping_freqadjust(struct timekeeper *tk,
 	s64 interval = tk->cycle_interval;
 	s64 xinterval = tk->xtime_interval;
 	s64 tick_error;
-	bool negative;
+	bool negative = 0;
 	u32 adj;
 
 	/* Remove any current error adj from freq calculation */
@@ -1604,10 +1604,12 @@ static __always_inline void timekeeping_freqadjust(struct timekeeper *tk,
 		return;
 
 	/* preserve the direction of correction */
-	negative = (tick_error < 0);
+	if (tick_error < 0) {
+		tick_error = -tick_error;
+		negative = 1;
+	}
 
 	/* Sort out the magnitude of the correction */
-	tick_error = abs(tick_error);
 	for (adj = 0; tick_error > interval; adj++)
 		tick_error >>= 1;