diff --git a/sys/include/ztimer.h b/sys/include/ztimer.h
index 32c0a1fb2a..e17f78f227 100644
--- a/sys/include/ztimer.h
+++ b/sys/include/ztimer.h
@@ -295,7 +295,9 @@ struct ztimer_clock {
     ztimer_base_t list;             /**< list of active timers              */
     const ztimer_ops_t *ops;        /**< pointer to methods structure       */
     ztimer_base_t *last;            /**< last timer in queue, for _is_set() */
-    uint32_t adjust;                /**< will be subtracted on every set()  */
+    uint16_t adjust_set;            /**< will be subtracted on every set()  */
+    uint16_t adjust_sleep;          /**< will be subtracted on every sleep(),
+                                         in addition to adjust_set          */
 #if MODULE_ZTIMER_EXTEND || MODULE_ZTIMER_NOW64 || DOXYGEN
     /* values used for checkpointed intervals and 32bit extension */
     uint32_t max_value;             /**< maximum relative timer value       */
diff --git a/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c b/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
index 489b86ac93..a2bca399af 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
@@ -125,10 +125,15 @@ void ztimer_init(void)
                              FREQ_1MHZ, CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_BASE_FREQ);
 #    endif
 #  endif
-#  ifdef CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST
-    LOG_DEBUG("ztimer_init(): ZTIMER_USEC setting adjust value to %i\n",
-              CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST);
-    ZTIMER_USEC->adjust = CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST;
+#  ifdef CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SET
+    LOG_DEBUG("ztimer_init(): ZTIMER_USEC setting adjust_set value to %i\n",
+              CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SET );
+    ZTIMER_USEC->adjust_set = CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SET;
+#  endif
+#  ifdef CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SLEEP
+    LOG_DEBUG("ztimer_init(): ZTIMER_USEC setting adjust_sleep value to %i\n",
+              CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SLEEP );
+    ZTIMER_USEC->adjust_sleep = CONFIG_ZTIMER_USEC_ADJUST_SLEEP;
 #  endif
 #  ifdef MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     LOG_DEBUG("ztimer_init(): ZTIMER_USEC setting required_pm_mode to %i\n",
diff --git a/sys/ztimer/core.c b/sys/ztimer/core.c
index 5e333d7d15..2230f0cfc6 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/core.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/core.c
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ void ztimer_set(ztimer_clock_t *clock, ztimer_t *timer, uint32_t val)
     }
 
     /* optionally subtract a configurable adjustment value */
-    if (val > clock->adjust) {
-        val -= clock->adjust;
+    if (val > clock->adjust_set) {
+        val -= clock->adjust_set;
     }
     else {
         val = 0;
diff --git a/sys/ztimer/util.c b/sys/ztimer/util.c
index e8074f6ebf..0a8fb9b2cf 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/util.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/util.c
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ void ztimer_sleep(ztimer_clock_t *clock, uint32_t duration)
         .arg = (void *)&mutex,
     };
 
+    /* correct board / MCU specific overhead */
+    if (duration > clock->adjust_sleep) {
+        duration -= clock->adjust_sleep;
+    }
+    else {
+        duration = 0;
+    }
+
     ztimer_set(clock, &timer, duration);
     mutex_lock(&mutex);
 }