diff --git a/src/unistd/alarm.c b/src/unistd/alarm.c
index 2e3263ac..a5e0c822 100644
--- a/src/unistd/alarm.c
+++ b/src/unistd/alarm.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 unsigned alarm(unsigned seconds)
 {
-	struct itimerval it = { .it_value.tv_sec = seconds };
-	__syscall(SYS_setitimer, ITIMER_REAL, &it, &it);
-	return it.it_value.tv_sec + !!it.it_value.tv_usec;
+	struct itimerval it = { .it_value.tv_sec = seconds }, old = { 0 };
+	setitimer(ITIMER_REAL, &it, &old);
+	return old.it_value.tv_sec + !!old.it_value.tv_usec;
 }