diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
index c761f914430..388254f69a2 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
@@ -897,13 +897,21 @@ static unsigned long hpet_rtc_flags;
 static int hpet_prev_update_sec;
 static struct rtc_time hpet_alarm_time;
 static unsigned long hpet_pie_count;
-static unsigned long hpet_t1_cmp;
+static u32 hpet_t1_cmp;
 static unsigned long hpet_default_delta;
 static unsigned long hpet_pie_delta;
 static unsigned long hpet_pie_limit;
 
 static rtc_irq_handler irq_handler;
 
+/*
+ * Check that the hpet counter c1 is ahead of the c2
+ */
+static inline int hpet_cnt_ahead(u32 c1, u32 c2)
+{
+	return (s32)(c2 - c1) < 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Registers a IRQ handler.
  */
@@ -1075,7 +1083,7 @@ static void hpet_rtc_timer_reinit(void)
 		hpet_t1_cmp += delta;
 		hpet_writel(hpet_t1_cmp, HPET_T1_CMP);
 		lost_ints++;
-	} while ((s32)(hpet_readl(HPET_COUNTER) - hpet_t1_cmp) > 0);
+	} while (!hpet_cnt_ahead(hpet_t1_cmp, hpet_readl(HPET_COUNTER)));
 
 	if (lost_ints) {
 		if (hpet_rtc_flags & RTC_PIE)