diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_wait_user_fence.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_wait_user_fence.c
index 098e2a4cff3f..c4420c0dbf9c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_wait_user_fence.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_wait_user_fence.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include <drm/drm_device.h>
 #include <drm/drm_file.h>
+#include <drm/drm_utils.h>
 #include <drm/xe_drm.h>
 
 #include "xe_device.h"
@@ -84,6 +85,21 @@ static int check_hw_engines(struct xe_device *xe,
 			 DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_VM_ERROR)
 #define MAX_OP		DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_LTE
 
+static unsigned long to_jiffies_timeout(struct drm_xe_wait_user_fence *args)
+{
+	unsigned long timeout;
+
+	if (args->flags & DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_ABSTIME)
+		return drm_timeout_abs_to_jiffies(args->timeout);
+
+	if (args->timeout == MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT || args->timeout == 0)
+		return args->timeout;
+
+	timeout = nsecs_to_jiffies(args->timeout);
+
+	return timeout ?: 1;
+}
+
 int xe_wait_user_fence_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 			     struct drm_file *file)
 {
@@ -98,7 +114,8 @@ int xe_wait_user_fence_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 	int err;
 	bool no_engines = args->flags & DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_SOFT_OP ||
 		args->flags & DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_VM_ERROR;
-	unsigned long timeout = args->timeout;
+	unsigned long timeout;
+	ktime_t start;
 
 	if (XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, args->extensions) || XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, args->pad) ||
 	    XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, args->reserved[0] || args->reserved[1]))
@@ -152,8 +169,18 @@ int xe_wait_user_fence_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 		addr = vm->async_ops.error_capture.addr;
 	}
 
-	if (XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, timeout > MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT))
-		return -EINVAL;
+	/*
+	 * For negative timeout we want to wait "forever" by setting
+	 * MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT. But we have to assign this value also
+	 * to args->timeout to avoid being zeroed on the signal delivery
+	 * (see arithmetics after wait).
+	 */
+	if (args->timeout < 0)
+		args->timeout = MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
+
+	timeout = to_jiffies_timeout(args);
+
+	start = ktime_get();
 
 	/*
 	 * FIXME: Very simple implementation at the moment, single wait queue
@@ -192,17 +219,17 @@ int xe_wait_user_fence_ioctl(struct drm_device *dev, void *data,
 	} else {
 		remove_wait_queue(&xe->ufence_wq, &w_wait);
 	}
+
+	if (!(args->flags & DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_ABSTIME)) {
+		args->timeout -= ktime_to_ns(ktime_sub(ktime_get(), start));
+		if (args->timeout < 0)
+			args->timeout = 0;
+	}
+
 	if (XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, err < 0))
 		return err;
 	else if (XE_IOCTL_ERR(xe, !timeout))
 		return -ETIME;
 
-	/*
-	 * Again very simple, return the time in jiffies that has past, may need
-	 * a more precision
-	 */
-	if (args->flags & DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_ABSTIME)
-		args->timeout = args->timeout - timeout;
-
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/uapi/drm/xe_drm.h b/include/uapi/drm/xe_drm.h
index 8e7be1551333..347351a8f618 100644
--- a/include/uapi/drm/xe_drm.h
+++ b/include/uapi/drm/xe_drm.h
@@ -904,8 +904,20 @@ struct drm_xe_wait_user_fence {
 #define DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_U64		0xffffffffffffffffu
 	/** @mask: comparison mask */
 	__u64 mask;
-
-	/** @timeout: how long to wait before bailing, value in jiffies */
+	/**
+	 * @timeout: how long to wait before bailing, value in nanoseconds.
+	 * Without DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_ABSTIME flag set (relative timeout)
+	 * it contains timeout expressed in nanoseconds to wait (fence will
+	 * expire at now() + timeout).
+	 * When DRM_XE_UFENCE_WAIT_ABSTIME flat is set (absolute timeout) wait
+	 * will end at timeout (uses system MONOTONIC_CLOCK).
+	 * Passing negative timeout leads to neverending wait.
+	 *
+	 * On relative timeout this value is updated with timeout left
+	 * (for restarting the call in case of signal delivery).
+	 * On absolute timeout this value stays intact (restarted call still
+	 * expire at the same point of time).
+	 */
 	__s64 timeout;
 
 	/**