diff --git a/docs/systemd-properties.md b/docs/systemd-properties.md
index 8e58087a1..737e2415b 100644
--- a/docs/systemd-properties.md
+++ b/docs/systemd-properties.md
@@ -24,11 +24,4 @@ The values must be in the gvariant format (for details, see
 [gvariant documentation](https://developer.gnome.org/glib/stable/gvariant-text.html)).
 
 To find out which type systemd expects for a particular parameter, please
-consult systemd sources. In particular, parameters with `USec` suffix are
-in microseconds, and those require an `uint64` typed argument. Since
-gvariant assumes int32 for a numeric values, the explicit type is required.
-
-**Note** that time-typed systemd parameter names must have the `USec`
-suffix, while they are documented with `Sec` suffix.
-For example, the stop timeout used in the example above must be
-set as `TimeoutStopUSec` but is shown and documented as `TimeoutStopSec`.
+consult systemd sources.
diff --git a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
index f0cfd47df..90731f50b 100644
--- a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
+++ b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package specconv
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -304,6 +305,38 @@ func createLibcontainerMount(cwd string, m specs.Mount) *configs.Mount {
 // systemd property name check: latin letters only, at least 3 of them
 var isValidName = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-zA-Z]{3,}$`).MatchString
 
+var isSecSuffix = regexp.MustCompile(`[a-z]Sec$`).MatchString
+
+// Some systemd properties are documented as having "Sec" suffix
+// (e.g. TimeoutStopSec) but are expected to have "USec" suffix
+// here, so let's provide conversion to improve compatibility.
+func convertSecToUSec(value dbus.Variant) (dbus.Variant, error) {
+	var sec uint64
+	const M = 1000000
+	vi := value.Value()
+	switch value.Signature().String() {
+	case "y":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(byte)) * M
+	case "n":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(int16)) * M
+	case "q":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(uint16)) * M
+	case "i":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(int32)) * M
+	case "u":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(uint32)) * M
+	case "x":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(int64)) * M
+	case "t":
+		sec = vi.(uint64) * M
+	case "d":
+		sec = uint64(vi.(float64) * M)
+	default:
+		return value, errors.New("not a number")
+	}
+	return dbus.MakeVariant(sec), nil
+}
+
 func initSystemdProps(spec *specs.Spec) ([]systemdDbus.Property, error) {
 	const keyPrefix = "org.systemd.property."
 	var sp []systemdDbus.Property
@@ -320,6 +353,13 @@ func initSystemdProps(spec *specs.Spec) ([]systemdDbus.Property, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Annotation %s=%s value parse error: %v", k, v, err)
 		}
+		if isSecSuffix(name) {
+			name = strings.TrimSuffix(name, "Sec") + "USec"
+			value, err = convertSecToUSec(value)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Annotation %s=%s value parse error: %v", k, v, err)
+			}
+		}
 		sp = append(sp, systemdDbus.Property{Name: name, Value: value})
 	}
 
diff --git a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux_test.go b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux_test.go
index 228c80446..aca5ca5ed 100644
--- a/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux_test.go
+++ b/libcontainer/specconv/spec_linux_test.go
@@ -471,6 +471,61 @@ func TestInitSystemdProps(t *testing.T) {
 			in:  inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopUSec", "uint64 123456789"},
 			exp: expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(123456789)},
 		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (default numeric type)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "456"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(456000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (byte)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "byte 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (int16)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "int16 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (uint16)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "uint16 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (int32)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "int32 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (uint32)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "uint32 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (int64)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "int64 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (uint64)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "uint64 234"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234000000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (float)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "234.789"},
+			exp:  expT{false, "TimeoutStopUSec", uint64(234789000)},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (bool -- invalid value)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "false"},
+			exp:  expT{true, "", ""},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "convert USec to Sec (string -- invalid value)",
+			in:   inT{"org.systemd.property.TimeoutStopSec", "'covfefe'"},
+			exp:  expT{true, "", ""},
+		},
 		{
 			in:  inT{"org.systemd.property.CollectMode", "'inactive-or-failed'"},
 			exp: expT{false, "CollectMode", "inactive-or-failed"},