diff --git a/base_cpp/include/embb/base/time.h b/base_cpp/include/embb/base/time.h
index f942588..6bdf76f 100644
--- a/base_cpp/include/embb/base/time.h
+++ b/base_cpp/include/embb/base/time.h
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ class Time {
     embb_time_in(&rep_, &(duration.rep_));
   }
 
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+  /**
+   * Return the internal representation of the current moment in time of the
+   * MTAPI C interface. This is necessary for communication with the MTAPI
+   * layer.
+   */
+  embb_time_t GetRepresentation();
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
+
  private:
   /**
    * Representation of the absolute time point.
diff --git a/base_cpp/src/time.cc b/base_cpp/src/time.cc
index 1f827c5..e02ef13 100644
--- a/base_cpp/src/time.cc
+++ b/base_cpp/src/time.cc
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ Time::Time() : rep_() {
   embb_time_now(&rep_);
 }
 
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+embb_time_t Time::GetRepresentation() {
+  return rep_;
+}
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
+
 } // namespace base
 } // namespace embb
 
diff --git a/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h b/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
index f381950..3100f4b 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
+++ b/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
@@ -245,6 +245,9 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <embb/base/c/core_set.h>
 #include <embb/base/c/thread.h>
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+#include <embb/base/c/time.h>
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -753,7 +756,7 @@ enum mtapi_task_attributes_enum {
 #define MTAPI_TASK_AFFINITY_SIZE sizeof(mtapi_affinity_t)
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
 /** size of the \a MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE attribute */
-#define MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE_SIZE sizeof(mtapi_uint64_t)
+#define MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE_SIZE sizeof(embb_time_t)
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 
@@ -851,7 +854,7 @@ struct mtapi_task_attributes_struct {
   mtapi_uint_t num_instances;          /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_INSTANCES */
   mtapi_uint_t priority;               /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_PRIORITY */
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-  mtapi_uint64_t deadline;             /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE */
+  embb_time_t deadline;                /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE */
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
   mtapi_affinity_t affinity;           /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_AFFINITY */
   void * user_data;                    /**< stores MTAPI_TASK_USER_DATA */
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.c b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.c
index 50e4da2..32f9f84 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ mtapi_status_t embb_mtapi_attr_get_##TYPE(const TYPE* source, \
 
 embb_mtapi_attr_implementation(mtapi_uint_t);
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-embb_mtapi_attr_implementation(mtapi_uint64_t);
+embb_mtapi_attr_implementation(embb_time_t);
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 embb_mtapi_attr_implementation(mtapi_affinity_t);
 embb_mtapi_attr_implementation(mtapi_boolean_t);
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.h b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.h
index 09e953b..a748cfb 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.h
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_attr.h
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 #define MTAPI_C_SRC_EMBB_MTAPI_ATTR_H_
 
 #include <embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h>
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+#include <embb/base/c/time.h>
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ mtapi_status_t embb_mtapi_attr_get_##TYPE(const TYPE* source, \
 
 embb_mtapi_attr(mtapi_uint_t)
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-embb_mtapi_attr(mtapi_uint64_t);
+embb_mtapi_attr(embb_time_t);
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 embb_mtapi_attr(mtapi_affinity_t)
 embb_mtapi_attr(mtapi_boolean_t)
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t.c
index 62ab89d..2dc2aeb 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t.c
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 #include <embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h>
 #include <embb/base/c/atomic.h>
 
+#include <embb/base/c/time.h>
+
 #include <embb_mtapi_log.h>
 #include <embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t.h>
 #include <embb_mtapi_task_t.h>
@@ -42,9 +44,9 @@
 
 /* ---- LOCAL HELPERS ------------------------------------------------------ */
 
-static mtapi_uint64_t get_deadline(mtapi_task_hndl_t node) {
+static embb_time_t get_deadline(mtapi_task_hndl_t node) {
   mtapi_status_t status;
-  mtapi_uint64_t deadline;
+  embb_time_t deadline;
   mtapi_task_get_attribute(
     node,
     MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE,
@@ -53,7 +55,8 @@ static mtapi_uint64_t get_deadline(mtapi_task_hndl_t node) {
     &status);
   if(status != MTAPI_SUCCESS) {
     // TODO error handling
-    return -1;
+    embb_time_t ret;
+    return ret;
   }
   return deadline;
 }
@@ -103,11 +106,11 @@ embb_mtapi_task_t * embb_mtapi_priority_queue_pop(embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t* t
   embb_mtapi_task_t * task = MTAPI_NULL;
   embb_mtapi_task_t * tmp_task = MTAPI_NULL;
   mtapi_uint_t ii;
-  mtapi_uint64_t deadline = 0;
-  mtapi_uint64_t left_deadline = 0;
-  mtapi_uint64_t right_deadline = 0;
+  embb_time_t deadline;
+  embb_time_t left_deadline;
+  embb_time_t right_deadline;
   mtapi_uint64_t swap = 0;
-  mtapi_uint64_t swap_deadline = 0;
+  embb_time_t swap_deadline;
 
   assert(MTAPI_NULL != that);
 
@@ -126,31 +129,33 @@ embb_mtapi_task_t * embb_mtapi_priority_queue_pop(embb_mtapi_priority_queue_t* t
 
       /* recreate heap property */
       while(that->tasks_available > 0) {
-        deadline       = get_deadline(that->task_buffer[ii]->handle);
+        deadline = get_deadline(that->task_buffer[ii]->handle);
 
         if(that->task_buffer[ii + 1] != MTAPI_NULL) {
           left_deadline  = get_deadline(that->task_buffer[ii + 1]->handle);
         } else {
-          left_deadline  = ULLONG_MAX;
+          left_deadline.seconds     = ULLONG_MAX;
+          left_deadline.nanoseconds = ULONG_MAX;
         }
 
         if(that->task_buffer[ii + 2] != MTAPI_NULL) {
           right_deadline = get_deadline(that->task_buffer[ii + 2]->handle);
         } else {
-          right_deadline = ULLONG_MAX;
+          right_deadline.seconds     = ULLONG_MAX;
+          right_deadline.nanoseconds = ULONG_MAX;
         }
 
         /* min Heap, swap with the smaller of both children. */
-        if(left_deadline <= right_deadline) {
+        if(embb_time_compare(&left_deadline, &right_deadline) <= 0) {
           swap = ii + 1;
           swap_deadline = left_deadline;
-        } else if(right_deadline < left_deadline) {
+        } else if(embb_time_compare(&left_deadline, &right_deadline) > 0) {
           swap = ii + 2;
           swap_deadline = right_deadline;
         }
 
         /* abort if heap property is restored. */
-        if(deadline <= swap_deadline) {
+        if(embb_time_compare(&deadline, &swap_deadline) <= 0) {
           break;
         }
         
@@ -173,8 +178,8 @@ mtapi_boolean_t embb_mtapi_priority_queue_push(
   embb_mtapi_task_t * tmp_task = MTAPI_NULL;
   mtapi_uint_t ii;
   mtapi_uint_t kk;
-  mtapi_uint64_t deadline = 0;
-  mtapi_uint64_t parent_deadline = 0;
+  embb_time_t deadline;
+  embb_time_t parent_deadline;
   mtapi_boolean_t result = MTAPI_FALSE;
 
   assert(MTAPI_NULL != that);
@@ -195,7 +200,7 @@ mtapi_boolean_t embb_mtapi_priority_queue_push(
         parent_deadline = get_deadline(that->task_buffer[ii]->handle);
        
         /* abort if heap property is restored. */
-        if(deadline >= parent_deadline) {
+        if(embb_time_compare(&deadline, &parent_deadline) >= 0) {
           break;
         }
 
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_task_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_task_t.c
index d88e6d4..f8a21d8 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_task_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_task_t.c
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ void mtapi_task_get_attribute(
 
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
         case MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE:
-          local_status = embb_mtapi_attr_get_mtapi_uint64_t(
+          local_status = embb_mtapi_attr_get_embb_time_t(
             &local_task->attributes.deadline, attribute, attribute_size);
           break;
 
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_task_attributes_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_task_attributes_t.c
index 1ca1f7c..962eee3 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_task_attributes_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_task_attributes_t.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void mtapi_taskattr_set(
 
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
       case MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE:
-        local_status = embb_mtapi_attr_set_mtapi_uint64_t(
+        local_status = embb_mtapi_attr_set_embb_time_t(
           &attributes->deadline, attribute, attribute_size);
         break;
 
diff --git a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/execution_policy.h b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/execution_policy.h
index 78b61c4..c4a4e55 100644
--- a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/execution_policy.h
+++ b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/execution_policy.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
 #define EMBB_MTAPI_EXECUTION_POLICY_H_
 
 #include <embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h>
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+#include <embb/base/duration.h>
+#include <embb/base/time.h>
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 #include <embb/mtapi/internal/cmake_config.h>
 
 namespace embb {
@@ -79,10 +83,18 @@ class ExecutionPolicy{
    * Constructs an execution policy with the specified priority.
    * Sets the affinity to all worker threads.
    */
+  template <typename Tick>
   explicit ExecutionPolicy(
-      mtapi_uint64_t deadline          /**< [in] Relative dealine for the 
-                                            execution policy. */
-  );
+      embb::base::Duration<Tick> relative_deadline /**< [in] Relative dealine
+                                                     for the execution policy.*/
+  ) : priority_(DefaultPriority), deadline_(relative_deadline) {
+      InitializeWithDeadline();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Initialize the ExecutionPolicy object. Necessary to prevent include loops.
+   */
+  void InitializeWithDeadline();
 
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
   /**
@@ -143,7 +155,7 @@ class ExecutionPolicy{
    *
    * \return the deadline
    */
-  mtapi_uint_t GetDeadline() const;
+  embb::base::Time GetDeadline() const;
 
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
   friend class Task;
@@ -158,9 +170,8 @@ class ExecutionPolicy{
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
   /**
    * Default deadline.
-   * Currently set to UULONG_MAX = MAX deadline.
    */
-  static const mtapi_uint64_t DefaultDeadline;
+  static const embb::base::Time DefaultDeadline;
 
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
   /**
@@ -178,7 +189,7 @@ class ExecutionPolicy{
   /**
    * Task Priority.
    */
-  mtapi_uint64_t deadline_;
+  embb::base::Time deadline_;
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 };
 
diff --git a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/task_attributes.h b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/task_attributes.h
index 283e5c6..8208e2c 100644
--- a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/task_attributes.h
+++ b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/task_attributes.h
@@ -150,11 +150,12 @@ class TaskAttributes {
    * \notthreadsafe
    */
   TaskAttributes & SetDeadline(
-    mtapi_uint64_t deadline            /**< The deadline to set. */
+    embb::base::Time deadline            /**< The deadline to set. */
     ) {
+    embb_time_t c_deadline = deadline.GetRepresentation();
     mtapi_status_t status;
     mtapi_taskattr_set(&attributes_, MTAPI_TASK_DEADLINE,
-      &deadline, sizeof(deadline), &status);
+      &c_deadline, sizeof(c_deadline), &status);
     internal::CheckStatus(status);
     return *this;
   }
diff --git a/mtapi_cpp/src/execution_policy.cc b/mtapi_cpp/src/execution_policy.cc
index 025cfb0..a85f06e 100644
--- a/mtapi_cpp/src/execution_policy.cc
+++ b/mtapi_cpp/src/execution_policy.cc
@@ -86,17 +86,16 @@ ExecutionPolicy::ExecutionPolicy(mtapi_uint_t priority)
 }
 
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-ExecutionPolicy::ExecutionPolicy(mtapi_uint64_t deadline)
-: priority_(DefaultPriority), deadline_(deadline) {
-#if MTAPI_CPP_AUTOMATIC_INITIALIZE
-  Node::GetInstance(); // MTAPI has to be initialized
+void ExecutionPolicy::InitializeWithDeadline() {
+#ifdef MTAPI_CPP_AUTOMATIC_INITIALIZE
+    Node::GetInstance(); // MTAPI has to be initialized
 #endif
-  mtapi_status_t status;
-  mtapi_affinity_init(&affinity_, MTAPI_TRUE, &status);
-  if (MTAPI_SUCCESS != status) {
-    EMBB_THROW(embb::base::ErrorException,
-      "Could not default construct Affinity.");
-  }
+    mtapi_status_t status;
+    mtapi_affinity_init(&affinity_, MTAPI_TRUE, &status);
+    if(MTAPI_SUCCESS != status) {
+      EMBB_THROW(embb::base::ErrorException,
+        "Could not default construct Affinity.");
+    }
 }
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
@@ -150,15 +149,13 @@ mtapi_uint_t ExecutionPolicy::GetPriority() const {
 }
 
 #ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-mtapi_uint_t ExecutionPolicy::GetDeadline() const {
+embb::base::Time ExecutionPolicy::GetDeadline() const {
   return deadline_;
 }
 
+const embb::base::Time ExecutionPolicy::DefaultDeadline;
 #endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 const mtapi_uint_t ExecutionPolicy::DefaultPriority = 0;
-#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-const mtapi_uint64_t ExecutionPolicy::DefaultDeadline = ULLONG_MAX;
-#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 }  // namespace mtapi
 }  // namespace embb