diff --git a/softmmu/icount.c b/softmmu/icount.c
index 21341a4ce49eccb8bf8699ce056d1f8d1dae16d4..7cda8b6c314eb2e7590e8824e635a3c46ec4e47a 100644
--- a/softmmu/icount.c
+++ b/softmmu/icount.c
@@ -261,10 +261,15 @@ static void icount_warp_rt(void)
         if (icount_enabled() == 2) {
             /*
              * In adaptive mode, do not let QEMU_CLOCK_VIRTUAL run too
-             * far ahead of real time.
+             * far ahead of real time.(it might already be ahead so careful not
+             * to go backwards).
              */
             int64_t cur_icount = icount_get_locked();
             int64_t delta = clock - cur_icount;
+
+            if (delta < 0) {
+            delta = 0;
+            }
             warp_delta = MIN(warp_delta, delta);
         }
         qatomic_set_i64(&timers_state.qemu_icount_bias,