diff --git a/src/os/vxworks/src/os-impl-timebase.c b/src/os/vxworks/src/os-impl-timebase.c
index b390f15f2..454a9b9e9 100644
--- a/src/os/vxworks/src/os-impl-timebase.c
+++ b/src/os/vxworks/src/os-impl-timebase.c
@@ -546,8 +546,6 @@ int32 OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(const OS_object_token_t *token, uint32 start_time, uin
 
         if (status == OK)
         {
-            return_code = OS_SUCCESS;
-
             /*
              * VxWorks will round the interval up to the next higher
              * system tick interval.  Sometimes this can make a substantial
@@ -565,6 +563,8 @@ int32 OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(const OS_object_token_t *token, uint32 start_time, uin
             status = timer_gettime(local->host_timerid, &timeout);
             if (status == OK)
             {
+                return_code = OS_SUCCESS;
+
                 local->configured_start_time = (timeout.it_value.tv_sec * 1000000) + (timeout.it_value.tv_nsec / 1000);
                 local->configured_interval_time =
                     (timeout.it_interval.tv_sec * 1000000) + (timeout.it_interval.tv_nsec / 1000);
@@ -582,6 +582,13 @@ int32 OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(const OS_object_token_t *token, uint32 start_time, uin
                              (unsigned long)local->configured_interval_time);
                 }
             }
+            else
+            {
+                return_code = OS_ERROR;
+
+                OS_DEBUG("WARNING: timer %lu timer_gettime() failed - timer not configured properly?\n",
+                            OS_ObjectIdToInteger(OS_ObjectIdFromToken(token)));
+            }
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/unit-test-coverage/vxworks/src/coveragetest-timebase.c b/src/unit-test-coverage/vxworks/src/coveragetest-timebase.c
index 5455ecce4..14f788e1f 100644
--- a/src/unit-test-coverage/vxworks/src/coveragetest-timebase.c
+++ b/src/unit-test-coverage/vxworks/src/coveragetest-timebase.c
@@ -191,7 +191,12 @@ void Test_OS_VxWorks_SigWait(void)
     UT_SetDataBuffer(UT_KEY(OCS_timer_settime), &config_value, sizeof(config_value), false);
     UT_SetDataBuffer(UT_KEY(OCS_timer_gettime), &config_value, sizeof(config_value), false);
     UT_TimeBaseTest_Setup(UT_INDEX_0, signo, true);
-    OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(&token, 1111111, 2222222);
+    OSAPI_TEST_FUNCTION_RC(OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(&token, 1111111, 2222222), OS_SUCCESS);
+
+    UT_SetDataBuffer(UT_KEY(OCS_timer_settime), &config_value, sizeof(config_value), false);
+    UT_SetDeferredRetcode(UT_KEY(OCS_timer_gettime), 1, OCS_ERROR);
+    UT_TimeBaseTest_Setup(UT_INDEX_0, signo, true);
+    OSAPI_TEST_FUNCTION_RC(OS_TimeBaseSet_Impl(&token, 1111111, 2222222), OS_ERROR);
 
     UT_SetDataBuffer(UT_KEY(OCS_sigwait), &signo, sizeof(signo), false);
     OSAPI_TEST_FUNCTION_RC(UT_TimeBaseTest_CallSigWaitFunc(OS_OBJECT_ID_UNDEFINED), 1111111);