diff --git a/src/relative-time-element.ts b/src/relative-time-element.ts
index 65cb6e0..620d71a 100644
--- a/src/relative-time-element.ts
+++ b/src/relative-time-element.ts
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export class RelativeTimeElement extends HTMLElement implements Intl.DateTimeFor
     if (tense === 'future' && duration.sign !== 1) duration = emptyDuration
     if (tense === 'past' && duration.sign !== -1) duration = emptyDuration
     const [int, unit] = getRelativeTimeUnit(duration)
-    if (unit === 'second' && int < 10) {
+    if (unit === 'second' && Math.abs(int) < 10) {
       return relativeFormat.format(0, this.precision === 'millisecond' ? 'second' : this.precision)
     }
     return relativeFormat.format(int, unit)
diff --git a/test/relative-time.js b/test/relative-time.js
index 8b24e74..e2aef56 100644
--- a/test/relative-time.js
+++ b/test/relative-time.js
@@ -1701,13 +1701,13 @@ suite('relative-time', function () {
         datetime: '2022-10-24T14:45:10.000Z',
         tense: 'past',
         format: 'relative',
-        expected: 'now',
+        expected: '50 seconds ago',
       },
       {
         datetime: '2022-10-24T14:45:10.000Z',
         format: 'relative',
         formatStyle: 'narrow',
-        expected: 'now',
+        expected: '50s ago',
       },
       {
         datetime: '2022-10-24T14:45:10.000Z',