diff --git a/twilight-gateway/src/ratelimiter.rs b/twilight-gateway/src/ratelimiter.rs
index bb88d21424e..94ce47a7768 100644
--- a/twilight-gateway/src/ratelimiter.rs
+++ b/twilight-gateway/src/ratelimiter.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use std::{
     pin::Pin,
     task::{Context, Poll},
 };
-use tokio::time::{sleep, Duration, Instant, Sleep};
+use tokio::time::{sleep_until, Duration, Instant, Sleep};
 
 /// Number of commands allowed in a [`PERIOD`].
 const COMMANDS_PER_PERIOD: u8 = 120;
@@ -37,13 +37,14 @@ pub struct CommandRatelimiter {
 
 impl CommandRatelimiter {
     /// Create a new ratelimiter with some capacity reserved for heartbeating.
-    pub(crate) async fn new(heartbeat_interval: Duration) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(heartbeat_interval: Duration) -> Self {
         let allotted = nonreserved_commands_per_reset(heartbeat_interval);
 
-        let mut delay = Box::pin(sleep(Duration::ZERO));
+        let now = Instant::now();
+        let mut delay = Box::pin(sleep_until(now));
 
         // Hack to register the timer.
-        (&mut delay).await;
+        delay.as_mut().reset(now);
 
         Self {
             delay,
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test(start_paused = true)]
     async fn full_reset() {
-        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL).await;
+        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL);
 
         assert_eq!(ratelimiter.available(), ratelimiter.max());
         for _ in 0..ratelimiter.max() {
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test(start_paused = true)]
     async fn half_reset() {
-        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL).await;
+        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL);
 
         assert_eq!(ratelimiter.available(), ratelimiter.max());
         for _ in 0..ratelimiter.max() / 2 {
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test(start_paused = true)]
     async fn constant_capacity() {
-        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL).await;
+        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL);
         let max = ratelimiter.max();
 
         for _ in 0..max {
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[tokio::test(start_paused = true)]
     async fn spurious_poll() {
-        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL).await;
+        let mut ratelimiter = CommandRatelimiter::new(HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL);
 
         for _ in 0..ratelimiter.max() {
             ratelimiter.acquire().await;
diff --git a/twilight-gateway/src/shard.rs b/twilight-gateway/src/shard.rs
index 1fde728c93f..84e35c4d08f 100644
--- a/twilight-gateway/src/shard.rs
+++ b/twilight-gateway/src/shard.rs
@@ -1062,7 +1062,7 @@ impl Shard {
                 tracing::debug!(?heartbeat_interval, ?jitter, "received hello");
 
                 if self.config().ratelimit_messages() {
-                    self.ratelimiter = Some(CommandRatelimiter::new(heartbeat_interval).await);
+                    self.ratelimiter = Some(CommandRatelimiter::new(heartbeat_interval));
                 }
 
                 let mut interval = time::interval_at(Instant::now() + jitter, heartbeat_interval);