diff --git a/src/service/federation/mod.rs b/src/service/federation/mod.rs
index a8b8b956e..86ea9b662 100644
--- a/src/service/federation/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/federation/mod.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use conduwuit::{
 	Error, Result, Server, SyncRwLock, debug,
-	utils::{millis_since_unix_epoch, time::exponential_backoff::min_exp_backoff_duration},
+	utils::{
+		math::Expected, millis_since_unix_epoch,
+		time::exponential_backoff::min_exp_backoff_duration,
+	},
 };
 pub(crate) use execute::FederationPathBuilderInput;
 use http::StatusCode;
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ pub fn retry_after(&self, server_name: &ServerName) -> Option<Duration> {
 		let map = self.remote_health.read();
 		let unix_now = millis_since_unix_epoch();
 		map.get(server_name)
-			.map(|(_, next_retry)| Duration::from_millis(*next_retry - unix_now))
+			.map(|(_, next_retry)| Duration::from_millis((*next_retry).expected_sub(unix_now)))
 	}
 
 	/// Marks or updates a remote's health status as unhealthy. If the remote is