diff --git a/main/main_timer_sync.cpp b/main/main_timer_sync.cpp
index 0d172be65e8..42023e5a2fc 100644
--- a/main/main_timer_sync.cpp
+++ b/main/main_timer_sync.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ int MainTimerSync::get_average_physics_steps(double &p_min, double &p_max) {
 		const double typical_lower = typical_physics_steps[i];
 		const double current_min = typical_lower / (i + 1);
 		if (current_min > p_max) {
-			return i; // bail out of further restrictions would void the interval
+			return i; // bail out if further restrictions would void the interval
 		} else if (current_min > p_min) {
 			p_min = current_min;
 		}
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ MainFrameTime MainTimerSync::advance_core(double p_physics_step, int p_physics_t
 		}
 	}
 
+#ifdef DEBUG_ENABLED
+	if (max_typical_steps < 0) {
+		WARN_PRINT_ONCE("`max_typical_steps` is negative. This could hint at an engine bug or system timer misconfiguration.");
+	}
+#endif
+
 	// try to keep it consistent with previous iterations
 	if (ret.physics_steps < min_typical_steps) {
 		const int max_possible_steps = floor((time_accum)*p_physics_ticks_per_second + get_physics_jitter_fix());
@@ -124,6 +130,10 @@ MainFrameTime MainTimerSync::advance_core(double p_physics_step, int p_physics_t
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (ret.physics_steps < 0) {
+		ret.physics_steps = 0;
+	}
+
 	time_accum -= ret.physics_steps * p_physics_step;
 
 	// keep track of accumulated step counts
@@ -151,6 +161,9 @@ MainFrameTime MainTimerSync::advance_checked(double p_physics_step, int p_physic
 		p_process_step = 1.0 / fixed_fps;
 	}
 
+	float min_output_step = p_process_step / 8;
+	min_output_step = MAX(min_output_step, 1E-6);
+
 	// compensate for last deficit
 	p_process_step += time_deficit;
 
@@ -177,9 +190,37 @@ MainFrameTime MainTimerSync::advance_checked(double p_physics_step, int p_physic
 	// last clamping: make sure time_accum is between 0 and p_physics_step for consistency between physics and process
 	ret.clamp_process_step(process_minus_accum, process_minus_accum + p_physics_step);
 
+	// all the operations above may have turned ret.p_process_step negative or zero, keep a minimal value
+	if (ret.process_step < min_output_step) {
+		ret.process_step = min_output_step;
+	}
+
 	// restore time_accum
 	time_accum = ret.process_step - process_minus_accum;
 
+	// forcing ret.process_step to be positive may trigger a violation of the
+	// promise that time_accum is between 0 and p_physics_step
+#ifdef DEBUG_ENABLED
+	if (time_accum < -1E-7) {
+		WARN_PRINT_ONCE("Intermediate value of `time_accum` is negative. This could hint at an engine bug or system timer misconfiguration.");
+	}
+#endif
+
+	if (time_accum > p_physics_step) {
+		const int extra_physics_steps = floor(time_accum * p_physics_ticks_per_second);
+		time_accum -= extra_physics_steps * p_physics_step;
+		ret.physics_steps += extra_physics_steps;
+	}
+
+#ifdef DEBUG_ENABLED
+	if (time_accum < -1E-7) {
+		WARN_PRINT_ONCE("Final value of `time_accum` is negative. It should always be between 0 and `p_physics_step`. This hints at an engine bug.");
+	}
+	if (time_accum > p_physics_step + 1E-7) {
+		WARN_PRINT_ONCE("Final value of `time_accum` is larger than `p_physics_step`. It should always be between 0 and `p_physics_step`. This hints at an engine bug.");
+	}
+#endif
+
 	// track deficit
 	time_deficit = p_process_step - ret.process_step;