diff --git a/core/java/android/text/format/DateUtils.java b/core/java/android/text/format/DateUtils.java
index da103111a8ffb..211453d58f307 100644
--- a/core/java/android/text/format/DateUtils.java
+++ b/core/java/android/text/format/DateUtils.java
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ public class DateUtils
 
         String result;
         long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-        long span = now - millis;
+        long span = Math.abs(now - millis);
 
         synchronized (DateUtils.class) {
             if (sNowTime == null) {