diff --git a/syndicate-examples/timer-demo.rkt b/syndicate-examples/timer-demo.rkt
index c30d769..cc6ac90 100644
--- a/syndicate-examples/timer-demo.rkt
+++ b/syndicate-examples/timer-demo.rkt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   (standard-actor-system (ds)
     (at ds
       (log-info "waiting...")
-      (on (timeout 1000)
+      (on (timeout 1)
         (log-info "still waiting..."))
-      (stop-on (timeout 2000)
+      (stop-on (timeout 2)
         (log-info "done!")))))
diff --git a/syndicate/drivers/timer.rkt b/syndicate/drivers/timer.rkt
index 931d13d..70b4f03 100644
--- a/syndicate/drivers/timer.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/drivers/timer.rkt
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
                (heap-remove-min! heap)
                (hash-remove! timers label)
                (log-syndicate/drivers/timer-debug "expired timer ~a" label)
-               (turn! facet (lambda () (send! ds (TimerExpired label now))))
+               (turn! facet (lambda () (send! ds (TimerExpired label (/ now 1000.0)))))
                (set! count-fired (+ count-fired 1))
                (loop)))))
        (adjust-inhabitant-count! engine (- count-fired)))
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@
                              [(SetTimer label _ (TimerKind-clear))
                               (clear-timer! label)
                               (loop)]
-                             [(SetTimer label msecs (TimerKind-relative))
-                              (define deadline (+ (current-inexact-milliseconds) msecs))
+                             [(SetTimer label secs (TimerKind-relative))
+                              (define deadline (+ (current-inexact-milliseconds) (* 1000.0 secs)))
                               (install-timer! label deadline)
                               (loop)]
                              [(SetTimer label deadline (TimerKind-absolute))
-                              (install-timer! label deadline)
+                              (install-timer! label (* deadline 1000.0))
                               (loop)])))))))
 
   (at ds
@@ -88,19 +88,19 @@
       (log-syndicate/drivers/timer-debug "received instruction ~a" instruction)
       (channel-put control-ch instruction))
 
-    (during (Observe (:pattern (LaterThan ,(DLit $msecs))) _)
+    (during (Observe (:pattern (LaterThan ,(DLit $seconds))) _)
       (log-syndicate/drivers/timer-debug "observing (later-than ~a) at ~a"
-                                         msecs
-                                         (current-inexact-milliseconds))
+                                         seconds
+                                         (/ (current-inexact-milliseconds) 1000.0))
       (define timer-id (gensym 'timestate))
-      (on-start (send! (SetTimer timer-id msecs (TimerKind-absolute))))
-      (on-stop  (send! (SetTimer timer-id msecs (TimerKind-clear))))
+      (on-start (send! (SetTimer timer-id seconds (TimerKind-absolute))))
+      (on-stop  (send! (SetTimer timer-id seconds (TimerKind-clear))))
       (on (message (TimerExpired timer-id _))
-        (react (assert (LaterThan msecs)))))))
+        (react (assert (LaterThan seconds)))))))
 
 (define-event-expander timeout
   (syntax-rules ()
-    [(_ [relative-msecs] body ...)
+    [(_ [relative-seconds] body ...)
      (let ((timer-id (gensym 'timeout)))
-       (on-start (send! (SetTimer timer-id relative-msecs (TimerKind-relative))))
+       (on-start (send! (SetTimer timer-id relative-seconds (TimerKind-relative))))
        (on (message (TimerExpired timer-id _)) body ...))]))
diff --git a/syndicate/test/core/during-with-spawn.rkt b/syndicate/test/core/during-with-spawn.rkt
index c8f7a92..dd44186 100644
--- a/syndicate/test/core/during-with-spawn.rkt
+++ b/syndicate/test/core/during-with-spawn.rkt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   (standard-actor-system (ds)
     (spawn (at ds
              (assert 'item)
-             (on (timeout 50) (stop-current-facet))))
+             (on (timeout 0.05) (stop-current-facet))))
     (spawn #:daemon? #t
            (at ds
              (during/spawn 'item