diff --git a/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h b/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
index 6f61d7c069..1c971ce125 100644
--- a/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
+++ b/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
@@ -211,7 +211,10 @@ class LIBTEMPORAL_API timepos_t : public int62_t  {
 	bool string_to (std::string const & str);
 	std::string to_string () const;
 
-	static timepos_t max (TimeDomain td) { return timepos_t (td != AudioTime, int62_t::max); }
+	/* note that the value returned if the time domain is audio is larger
+	   than can be represented in musical time (for any realistic tempos).
+	*/
+	static timepos_t max (TimeDomain td) { if (td == AudioTime) { return timepos_t (false, int62_t::max); } else { return timepos_t (std::numeric_limits<Beats>::max()); }}
 	static timepos_t smallest_step (TimeDomain td) { return timepos_t (td != AudioTime, 1); }
 
   private: