diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index 951449e..2b24a60 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -255,8 +255,20 @@ code_timespec (struct timespec t, char sbuf[TIMESPEC_STRSIZE_BOUND])
   time_t s = t.tv_sec;
   int ns = t.tv_nsec;
   char *np;
-  bool negative = s < 0;
+  bool negative;
 
+  /* ignore any negative ns value */
+  if (ns < 0)
+    ns = 0;
+
+  /* ensure (ns < BILLION) to avoid a SIGSEGV within code_ns_fraction () */
+  if (BILLION <= ns)
+    {
+      s += ns / BILLION;
+      ns %= BILLION;
+    }
+
+  negative = s < 0;
   if (negative && ns != 0)
     {
       s++;