diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
index a0b5b75d18..b8e466bc5e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
@@ -537,8 +537,9 @@ func (q *qemu) createSandbox(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNa
 	}
 
 	rtc := govmmQemu.RTC{
-		Base:     "utc",
-		DriftFix: "slew",
+		Base:     govmmQemu.UTC,
+		Clock:    govmmQemu.Host,
+		DriftFix: govmmQemu.Slew,
 	}
 
 	if q.state.UUID == "" {