diff --git a/player/command.c b/player/command.c
index d97460ab91..451cb740a8 100644
--- a/player/command.c
+++ b/player/command.c
@@ -4018,9 +4018,10 @@ int run_command(MPContext *mpctx, mp_cmd_t *cmd)
             return -1;
         struct osd_sub_state state;
         get_osd_sub_state(mpctx, 0, &state);
-        if (state.dec_sub && mpctx->video_pts != MP_NOPTS_VALUE) {
+        double refpts = get_current_time(mpctx);
+        if (state.dec_sub && refpts != MP_NOPTS_VALUE) {
             double a[2];
-            a[0] = mpctx->video_pts - state.video_offset - opts->sub_delay;
+            a[0] = refpts - state.video_offset - opts->sub_delay;
             a[1] = cmd->args[0].v.i;
             if (sub_control(state.dec_sub, SD_CTRL_SUB_STEP, a) > 0) {
                 if (cmd->id == MP_CMD_SUB_STEP) {