diff --git a/composite.h b/composite.h
--- a/composite.h
+++ b/composite.h
@@ -222,18 +222,17 @@
     QTimer m_unusedSupportPropertyTimer;
     qint64 vBlankInterval, fpsInterval;
     int m_xrrRefreshRate;
-    QElapsedTimer nextPaintReference;
     QRegion repaints_region;
 
     QTimer compositeResetTimer; // for compressing composite resets
     bool m_finishing; // finish() sets this variable while shutting down
     bool m_starting; // start() sets this variable while starting
     qint64 m_timeSinceLastVBlank;
-    qint64 m_timeSinceStart = 0;
     Scene *m_scene;
     bool m_bufferSwapPending;
     bool m_composeAtSwapCompletion;
     int m_framesToTestForSafety = 3;
+    QElapsedTimer m_monotonicClock;
 
     KWIN_SINGLETON_VARIABLE(Compositor, s_compositor)
 };
diff --git a/composite.cpp b/composite.cpp
--- a/composite.cpp
+++ b/composite.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
     connect(&compositeResetTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), SLOT(restart()));
     connect(options, &Options::configChanged, this, &Compositor::slotConfigChanged);
     compositeResetTimer.setSingleShot(true);
-    nextPaintReference.invalidate(); // Initialize the timer
+    m_monotonicClock.start();
 
     // 2 sec which should be enough to restart the compositor
     static const int compositorLostMessageDelay = 2000;
@@ -727,7 +727,6 @@
     if (repaints_region.isEmpty() && !windowRepaintsPending()) {
         m_scene->idle();
         m_timeSinceLastVBlank = fpsInterval - (options->vBlankTime() + 1); // means "start now"
-        m_timeSinceStart += m_timeSinceLastVBlank;
         // Note: It would seem here we should undo suspended unredirect, but when scenes need
         // it for some reason, e.g. transformations or translucency, the next pass that does not
         // need this anymore and paints normally will also reset the suspended unredirect.
@@ -769,12 +768,12 @@
             kwinApp()->platform()->createOpenGLSafePoint(Platform::OpenGLSafePoint::PostLastGuardedFrame);
         }
     }
-    m_timeSinceStart += m_timeSinceLastVBlank;
 
     if (waylandServer()) {
+        const auto currentTime = static_cast<quint32>(m_monotonicClock.elapsed());
         for (Toplevel *win : qAsConst(windows)) {
             if (auto surface = win->surface()) {
-                surface->frameRendered(m_timeSinceStart);
+                surface->frameRendered(currentTime);
             }
         }
     }