diff --git a/sbin/ping/ping.c b/sbin/ping/ping.c
index baf7faaf4d5b..f8f62d1f8646 100644
--- a/sbin/ping/ping.c
+++ b/sbin/ping/ping.c
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 			timeout.tv_sec++;
 		}
 		if (timeout.tv_sec < 0)
-			timeout.tv_sec = timeout.tv_usec = 0;
+			timerclear(&timeout);
 		n = select(s + 1, &rfds, NULL, NULL, &timeout);
 		if (n < 0)
 			continue;	/* Must be EINTR. */