diff --git a/epan/nstime.c b/epan/nstime.c
index 0ad5c94fa7..e1b27f6759 100644
--- a/epan/nstime.c
+++ b/epan/nstime.c
@@ -50,6 +50,26 @@ gboolean nstime_is_zero(nstime_t *nstime)
 	}
 }
 
+/* set the given nstime_t to (0,maxint) to mark it as "unset"
+ * That way we can find the first frame even when a timestamp
+ * is zero (fix for bug 1056)
+ */
+void nstime_set_unset(nstime_t *nstime)
+{
+	nstime->secs  = 0;
+	nstime->nsecs = G_MAXINT;
+}
+
+/* is the given nstime_t currently (0,maxint)? */
+gboolean nstime_is_unset(nstime_t *nstime)
+{
+	if(nstime->secs == 0 && nstime->nsecs == G_MAXINT) {
+		return TRUE;
+	} else {
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+}
+
 
 /*
  * function: nstime_delta
diff --git a/epan/nstime.h b/epan/nstime.h
index 1cd2e41e65..853e3adc9c 100644
--- a/epan/nstime.h
+++ b/epan/nstime.h
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ extern void nstime_set_zero(nstime_t *nstime);
 /* is the given nstime_t currently zero? */
 extern gboolean nstime_is_zero(nstime_t *nstime);
 
+/* set the given nstime_t to (0,maxint) to mark it as "unset"
+ * That way we can find the first frame even when a timestamp
+ * is zero (fix for bug 1056)
+ */
+extern void nstime_set_unset(nstime_t *nstime);
+
+/* is the given nstime_t currently (0,maxint)? */
+extern gboolean nstime_is_unset(nstime_t *nstime);
+
 /* calculate the delta between two times (can be negative!)
  *
  * delta = b-a
diff --git a/file.c b/file.c
index 1823ad8e96..ca118abd17 100644
--- a/file.c
+++ b/file.c
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ cf_open(capture_file *cf, const char *fname, gboolean is_tempfile, int *err)
   } else
     cf->has_snap = TRUE;
   nstime_set_zero(&cf->elapsed_time);
-  nstime_set_zero(&first_ts);
-  nstime_set_zero(&prev_dis_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&first_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&prev_dis_ts);
 
   cf->plist_chunk = g_mem_chunk_new("frame_data_chunk",
 	sizeof(frame_data),
@@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ add_packet_to_packet_list(frame_data *fdata, capture_file *cf,
   /* If we don't have the time stamp of the first packet in the
      capture, it's because this is the first packet.  Save the time
      stamp of this packet as the time stamp of the first packet. */
-  if (nstime_is_zero(&first_ts)) {
+  if (nstime_is_unset(&first_ts)) {
     first_ts  = fdata->abs_ts;
   }
   /* if this frames is marked as a reference time frame, reset
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ add_packet_to_packet_list(frame_data *fdata, capture_file *cf,
      it's because this is the first displayed packet.  Save the time
      stamp of this packet as the time stamp of the previous displayed
      packet. */
-  if (nstime_is_zero(&prev_dis_ts)) {
+  if (nstime_is_unset(&prev_dis_ts)) {
     prev_dis_ts = fdata->abs_ts;
   }
 
@@ -1500,8 +1500,8 @@ rescan_packets(capture_file *cf, const char *action, const char *action_item,
   /* Iterate through the list of frames.  Call a routine for each frame
      to check whether it should be displayed and, if so, add it to
      the display list. */
-  nstime_set_zero(&first_ts);
-  nstime_set_zero(&prev_dis_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&first_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&prev_dis_ts);
 
   /* Update the progress bar when it gets to this value. */
   progbar_nextstep = 0;
diff --git a/tshark.c b/tshark.c
index 8559216608..493b26d856 100644
--- a/tshark.c
+++ b/tshark.c
@@ -2282,7 +2282,7 @@ fill_in_fdata(frame_data *fdata, capture_file *cf,
   /* If we don't have the time stamp of the first packet in the
      capture, it's because this is the first packet.  Save the time
      stamp of this packet as the time stamp of the first packet. */
-  if (nstime_is_zero(&first_ts)) {
+  if (nstime_is_unset(&first_ts)) {
     first_ts = fdata->abs_ts;
   }
 
@@ -2290,7 +2290,7 @@ fill_in_fdata(frame_data *fdata, capture_file *cf,
      it's because this is the first packet.  Save the time
      stamp of this packet as the time stamp of the previous captured
      packet. */
-  if (nstime_is_zero(&prev_cap_ts)) {
+  if (nstime_is_unset(&prev_cap_ts)) {
     prev_cap_ts = fdata->abs_ts;
   }
 
@@ -2307,7 +2307,7 @@ fill_in_fdata(frame_data *fdata, capture_file *cf,
 
   /* Get the time elapsed between the previous displayed packet and
      this packet. */
-  if (nstime_is_zero(&prev_dis_ts))
+  if (nstime_is_unset(&prev_dis_ts))
     nstime_set_zero(&fdata->del_dis_ts);
   else
     nstime_delta(&fdata->del_dis_ts, &fdata->abs_ts, &prev_dis_ts);
@@ -3033,9 +3033,9 @@ cf_open(capture_file *cf, const char *fname, gboolean is_tempfile, int *err)
   } else
     cf->has_snap = TRUE;
   nstime_set_zero(&cf->elapsed_time);
-  nstime_set_zero(&first_ts);
-  nstime_set_zero(&prev_dis_ts);
-  nstime_set_zero(&prev_cap_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&first_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&prev_dis_ts);
+  nstime_set_unset(&prev_cap_ts);
 
   return CF_OK;