diff --git a/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h b/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
index b4a985e4d9..6736f241be 100644
--- a/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
+++ b/libs/temporal/temporal/timeline.h
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ class timepos_t : public int62_t  {
 
   private:
 	int64_t v;
+	/* special private constructor for use when constructing timepos_t as a
+	   return value using arithmetic ops
+	*/
+	explicit timepos_t (bool b, int64_t v) : int62_t (b, v) {}
 
 	static timepos_t _max_timepos;
 
diff --git a/libs/temporal/timeline.cc b/libs/temporal/timeline.cc
index f013739f77..b3e8dc0b97 100644
--- a/libs/temporal/timeline.cc
+++ b/libs/temporal/timeline.cc
@@ -264,14 +264,14 @@ timepos_t::operator/(ratio_t const & n) const
 
 	/* note: v / (N/D) = (v * D) / N */
 
-	return timepos_t (int_div_round (val() * n.denominator(), n.numerator()));
+	return timepos_t (is_beats(), int_div_round (val() * n.denominator(), n.numerator()));
 }
 
 timepos_t
 timepos_t::operator*(ratio_t const & n) const
 {
 	assert (n >= 0); /* do not allow a position to become negative via multiplication */
-	return timepos_t (int_div_round (val() * n.numerator(), n.denominator()));
+	return timepos_t (is_beats(), int_div_round (val() * n.numerator(), n.denominator()));
 }
 
 timepos_t &