diff --git a/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/TimerView.qml b/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/TimerView.qml
--- a/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/TimerView.qml
+++ b/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/TimerView.qml
@@ -51,21 +51,21 @@
 
     Timer {
         id: t;
-        interval: 1000;
+        interval: 20;
         onTriggered: {
-            if (root.seconds != 0) {
-                root.seconds--;
+            var ts = new Date().getTime();
+            if (root.seconds > 0) {
+                root.seconds = root.initialSeconds - Math.floor((ts-root.startedAt)/1000);
             }
-            if (root.seconds == 0) {
-                root.running = false;
+            if (root.seconds <= 0) {
+                resetTimer();
 
                 if (showNotification) {
                     root.createNotification();
                 }
                 if (runCommand) {
                     TimerPlasmoid.Timer.runCommand(command);
                 }
-                saveTimer();
             }
         }
         repeat: true;
diff --git a/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/applets/timer/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@
     property bool running: (plasmoid.configuration.running > 0) ? true : false;
     property bool suspended: false;
 
+    // timestamp from when the user clicked 'start timer'; in ms
+    property var startedAt: 0;
+    // value of 'seconds' when the user clicked 'start timer'
+    property int initialSeconds: 0;
+
+
     property string notificationText: plasmoid.configuration.notificationText;
 
     Plasmoid.toolTipMainText: {
@@ -100,6 +106,8 @@
             (sec % 60) % 10;
     }
     function startTimer() {
+        startedAt = new Date().getTime();
+        initialSeconds = seconds;
         running = true;
         suspended = false;
         opacityNeedsReset()
@@ -109,13 +117,17 @@
     function stopTimer() {
         running = false;
         suspended = true;
+        startedAt = 0;
+        initialSeconds = 0;
         saveTimer();
     }
 
     function resetTimer() {
         running = false;
         suspended = false;
         seconds = 0;
+        startedAt = 0;
+        initialSeconds = 0;
         opacityNeedsReset()
         saveTimer();
     }