diff --git a/src/main/java/org/xbill/DNS/TCPClient.java b/src/main/java/org/xbill/DNS/TCPClient.java
index fe205349..75ec3bbb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/xbill/DNS/TCPClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/xbill/DNS/TCPClient.java
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ private byte[] _recv(int length) throws IOException {
             throw new EOFException();
           }
           nrecvd += (int) n;
-          if (nrecvd < length && System.currentTimeMillis() > endTime) {
+          if (nrecvd < length && endTime - System.nanoTime() < 0) {
             throw new SocketTimeoutException();
           }
         } else {