diff --git a/time.c b/time.c
index a99444fce1..30bb371781 100644
--- a/time.c
+++ b/time.c
@@ -2445,7 +2445,7 @@ obj2subsecx(VALUE obj, VALUE *subsecx)
     return obj2ubits(obj, 6); /* vtm->sec */
 }
 
-static long
+static VALUE
 usec2subsecx(VALUE obj)
 {
     if (RB_TYPE_P(obj, T_STRING)) {