diff --git a/database/engine/rrdengineapi.c b/database/engine/rrdengineapi.c
index 264cbdfebe..c6b1fa2dde 100755
--- a/database/engine/rrdengineapi.c
+++ b/database/engine/rrdengineapi.c
@@ -1014,7 +1014,12 @@ size_t rrdeng_disk_space_used(STORAGE_INSTANCE *db_instance) {
 
 time_t rrdeng_global_first_time_s(STORAGE_INSTANCE *db_instance) {
     struct rrdengine_instance *ctx = (struct rrdengine_instance *)db_instance;
-    return __atomic_load_n(&ctx->atomic.first_time_s, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
+
+    time_t t = __atomic_load_n(&ctx->atomic.first_time_s, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
+    if(t == LONG_MAX || t < 0)
+        t = 0;
+
+    return t;
 }
 
 size_t rrdeng_currently_collected_metrics(STORAGE_INSTANCE *db_instance) {