diff --git a/mdal/frmts/mdal_selafin.cpp b/mdal/frmts/mdal_selafin.cpp
index 77f3d5bc..10546275 100644
--- a/mdal/frmts/mdal_selafin.cpp
+++ b/mdal/frmts/mdal_selafin.cpp
@@ -482,7 +482,8 @@ void MDAL::DriverSelafin::addData( const std::vector<std::string> &var_names,
       else
       {
         dataset = std::make_shared< MemoryDataset2D >( group.get(), true );
-        dataset->setTime( it->first, RelativeTimestamp::seconds ); // Seems that time unit in this format is only seconds
+        // see https://github.com/lutraconsulting/MDAL/issues/185
+        dataset->setTime( it->first, RelativeTimestamp::hours );
         group->datasets.push_back( dataset );
       }
       for ( size_t nP = 0; nP < nPoints; nP++ )
diff --git a/tests/test_selafin.cpp b/tests/test_selafin.cpp
index a680b53d..06ed914c 100644
--- a/tests/test_selafin.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_selafin.cpp
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ TEST( MeshSLFTest, MalpassetResultFrench )
   ASSERT_NE( ds, nullptr );
 
   double time = MDAL_D_time( ds );
-  EXPECT_TRUE( compareDurationInHours( 1.111111111, time ) );
+  EXPECT_TRUE( compareDurationInHours( 4000, time ) );
 
   bool valid = MDAL_D_isValid( ds );
   EXPECT_EQ( true, valid );