diff --git a/devicemodel/core/timer.c b/devicemodel/core/timer.c
index 32edd1ca8..bb9c5fb9b 100644
--- a/devicemodel/core/timer.c
+++ b/devicemodel/core/timer.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ acrn_timer_deinit(struct acrn_timer *timer)
 }
 
 int32_t
-acrn_timer_settime(struct acrn_timer *timer, struct itimerspec *new_value)
+acrn_timer_settime(struct acrn_timer *timer, const struct itimerspec *new_value)
 {
 	if (timer == NULL) {
 		return -1;
@@ -111,6 +111,17 @@ acrn_timer_settime(struct acrn_timer *timer, struct itimerspec *new_value)
 	return timerfd_settime(timer->fd, 0, new_value, NULL);
 }
 
+int32_t
+acrn_timer_settime_abs(struct acrn_timer *timer,
+		const struct itimerspec *new_value)
+{
+	if (timer == NULL) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return timerfd_settime(timer->fd, TFD_TIMER_ABSTIME, new_value, NULL);
+}
+
 int32_t
 acrn_timer_gettime(struct acrn_timer *timer, struct itimerspec *cur_value)
 {
diff --git a/devicemodel/include/timer.h b/devicemodel/include/timer.h
index ab6a07d02..937976b3d 100644
--- a/devicemodel/include/timer.h
+++ b/devicemodel/include/timer.h
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ acrn_timer_init(struct acrn_timer *timer, void (*cb)(void *), void *param);
 void
 acrn_timer_deinit(struct acrn_timer *timer);
 int32_t
-acrn_timer_settime(struct acrn_timer *timer, struct itimerspec *new_value);
+acrn_timer_settime(struct acrn_timer *timer, const struct itimerspec *new_value);
+int32_t
+acrn_timer_settime_abs(struct acrn_timer *timer,
+		const struct itimerspec *new_value);
 int32_t
 acrn_timer_gettime(struct acrn_timer *timer, struct itimerspec *cur_value);