diff --git a/archive/diff.go b/archive/diff.go
index 87e8ac7dc4..49d8cb4984 100644
--- a/archive/diff.go
+++ b/archive/diff.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
-	"time"
 )
 
 // Linux device nodes are a bit weird due to backwards compat with 16 bit device nodes.
@@ -18,15 +17,6 @@ import (
 func mkdev(major int64, minor int64) uint32 {
 	return uint32(((minor & 0xfff00) << 12) | ((major & 0xfff) << 8) | (minor & 0xff))
 }
-func timeToTimespec(time time.Time) (ts syscall.Timespec) {
-	if time.IsZero() {
-		// Return UTIME_OMIT special value
-		ts.Sec = 0
-		ts.Nsec = ((1 << 30) - 2)
-		return
-	}
-	return syscall.NsecToTimespec(time.UnixNano())
-}
 
 // ApplyLayer parses a diff in the standard layer format from `layer`, and
 // applies it to the directory `dest`.
diff --git a/archive/time_linux.go b/archive/time_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3448569b1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/archive/time_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package archive
+
+import (
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func timeToTimespec(time time.Time) (ts syscall.Timespec) {
+	if time.IsZero() {
+		// Return UTIME_OMIT special value
+		ts.Sec = 0
+		ts.Nsec = ((1 << 30) - 2)
+		return
+	}
+	return syscall.NsecToTimespec(time.UnixNano())
+}
diff --git a/archive/time_unsupported.go b/archive/time_unsupported.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e85aac0540
--- /dev/null
+++ b/archive/time_unsupported.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// +build !linux
+
+package archive
+
+import (
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func timeToTimespec(time time.Time) (ts syscall.Timespec) {
+	nsec := int64(0)
+	if !time.IsZero() {
+		nsec = time.UnixNano()
+	}
+	return syscall.NsecToTimespec(nsec)
+}