diff --git a/aos/common/queue.cc b/aos/common/queue.cc
index 893e62b..ba85a72 100644
--- a/aos/common/queue.cc
+++ b/aos/common/queue.cc
@@ -1,37 +1,47 @@
 #include "aos/common/queue.h"
 
-#include "aos/common/byteorder.h"
 #include <inttypes.h>
+#include <chrono>
+
+#include "aos/common/byteorder.h"
 
 namespace aos {
 
-void Message::Zero() {
-  sent_time.set_sec(0);
-  sent_time.set_nsec(0);
-}
+namespace chrono = ::std::chrono;
+
+void Message::Zero() { sent_time = monotonic_clock::min_time; }
 
 size_t Message::Deserialize(const char *buffer) {
   int32_t sec;
   int32_t nsec;
   to_host(&buffer[0], &sec);
   to_host(&buffer[4], &nsec);
-  sent_time.set_sec(sec);
-  sent_time.set_nsec(nsec);
+  sent_time = monotonic_clock::time_point(chrono::seconds(sec) +
+                                          chrono::nanoseconds(nsec));
   return Size();
 }
 // Serializes the common fields into the buffer.
 size_t Message::Serialize(char *buffer) const {
   // TODO(aschuh): to_network shouldn't need a pointer.
-  int32_t sec = sent_time.sec();
-  int32_t nsec = sent_time.nsec();
+  int32_t sec =
+      chrono::duration_cast<chrono::seconds>(sent_time.time_since_epoch())
+          .count();
+  int32_t nsec = chrono::duration_cast<chrono::nanoseconds>(
+                     sent_time.time_since_epoch() - chrono::seconds(sec))
+                     .count();
   to_network(&sec, &buffer[0]);
   to_network(&nsec, &buffer[4]);
   return Size();
 }
 
 size_t Message::Print(char *buffer, int length) const {
-  return snprintf(buffer, length, "%" PRId32 ".%09" PRId32 "s",
-                  sent_time.sec(), sent_time.nsec());
+  int32_t sec =
+      chrono::duration_cast<chrono::seconds>(sent_time.time_since_epoch())
+          .count();
+  int32_t nsec = chrono::duration_cast<chrono::nanoseconds>(
+                     sent_time.time_since_epoch() - chrono::seconds(sec))
+                     .count();
+  return snprintf(buffer, length, "%" PRId32 ".%09" PRId32 "s", sec, nsec);
 }
 
 }  // namespace aos