diff --git a/xbanish.c b/xbanish.c
index e15f620..bfc3bd8 100644
--- a/xbanish.c
+++ b/xbanish.c
@@ -564,24 +564,22 @@ void
 set_alarm(XSyncAlarm *alarm, XSyncTestType test)
 {
 	XSyncAlarmAttributes attr;
-	XSyncValue value;
 	unsigned int flags;
 
-	XSyncQueryCounter(dpy, idler_counter, &value);
-
 	attr.trigger.counter = idler_counter;
 	attr.trigger.test_type = test;
 	attr.trigger.value_type = XSyncRelative;
-	XSyncIntsToValue(&attr.trigger.wait_value, timeout * 1000,
-	    (unsigned long)(timeout * 1000) >> 32);
+	XSyncIntsToValue(&attr.trigger.wait_value, timeout * 1000UL,
+	    (timeout * 1000UL) >> 32);
 	XSyncIntToValue(&attr.delta, 0);
 
-	flags = XSyncCACounter | XSyncCATestType | XSyncCAValue | XSyncCADelta;
-
-	if (*alarm)
-		XSyncDestroyAlarm(dpy, *alarm);
+	flags = XSyncCACounter | XSyncCATestType | XSyncCAValueType |
+	    XSyncCAValue | XSyncCADelta;
 
-	*alarm = XSyncCreateAlarm(dpy, flags, &attr);
+	if (*alarm == None)
+		*alarm = XSyncCreateAlarm(dpy, flags, &attr);
+	else
+		XSyncChangeAlarm(dpy, *alarm, flags, &attr);
 }
 
 void