diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0f5f0c34b..0d877d407 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+- Countdown to event start instead of to the reminder ([#1073]) 
+
 ## [1.10.3] - 2026-02-14
 ### Changed
 - Updated translations
@@ -237,6 +240,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 [#1003]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/issues/1003
 [#1019]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/issues/1019
 [#1024]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/issues/1024
+[#1073]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/issues/1073
 
 [Unreleased]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/compare/1.10.3...HEAD
 [1.10.3]: https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Calendar/compare/1.10.2...1.10.3
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/calendar/extensions/Context.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/calendar/extensions/Context.kt
index f9dd6af1e..031b4eff0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/calendar/extensions/Context.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/calendar/extensions/Context.kt
@@ -233,26 +233,25 @@ fun Context.scheduleNextEventReminder(event: Event, showToasts: Boolean) {
 }
 
 fun Context.scheduleEventIn(notifyAtMillis: Long, event: Event, showToasts: Boolean) {
-    val now = System.currentTimeMillis()
-    if (notifyAtMillis < now) {
+    val now = System.currentTimeMillis() / 1000
+    if (event.getEventStartTS() < now) {
         if (showToasts) {
             toast(org.fossify.commons.R.string.saving)
         }
         return
     }
 
-    val newNotifyAtMillis = notifyAtMillis + 1000
     if (showToasts) {
-        val secondsTillNotification = (newNotifyAtMillis - now) / 1000
+        val secondsTillEvent = event.getEventStartTS() - now
         val msg = String.format(
             getString(org.fossify.commons.R.string.time_remaining),
-            formatSecondsToTimeString(secondsTillNotification.toInt())
+            formatSecondsToTimeString(secondsTillEvent.toInt())
         )
         toast(msg)
     }
 
     val pendingIntent = getNotificationIntent(event)
-    setExactAlarm(newNotifyAtMillis, pendingIntent)
+    setExactAlarm(notifyAtMillis + 1000, pendingIntent)
 }
 
 // hide the actual notification from the top bar