diff --git a/include/cppkafka/message.h b/include/cppkafka/message.h
index 5702f3e..a307ea0 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/message.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/message.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <chrono>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
 #include <librdkafka/rdkafka.h>
 #include "buffer.h"
@@ -163,19 +164,19 @@ public:
     /**
      * Constructs a timestamp object
      */
-    MessageTimestamp(int64_t timestamp, TimestampType type);
+    MessageTimestamp(std::chrono::milliseconds timestamp, TimestampType type);
 
     /**
      * Gets the timestamp value
      */
-    int64_t get_timestamp() const;
+    std::chrono::milliseconds get_timestamp() const;
 
     /**
      * Gets the timestamp type
      */
     TimestampType get_type() const;
 private:
-    int64_t timestamp_;
+    std::chrono::milliseconds timestamp_;
     TimestampType type_;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/message.cpp b/src/message.cpp
index ecc71be..9c42c57 100644
--- a/src/message.cpp
+++ b/src/message.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 using std::string;
 
+using std::chrono::milliseconds;
+
 using boost::optional;
 using boost::none_t;
 
@@ -104,7 +106,8 @@ optional<MessageTimestamp> Message::get_timestamp() const {
     if (timestamp == -1 || type == RD_KAFKA_TIMESTAMP_NOT_AVAILABLE) {
         return {};
     }
-    return MessageTimestamp(timestamp, static_cast<MessageTimestamp::TimestampType>(type));
+    return MessageTimestamp(milliseconds(timestamp),
+                            static_cast<MessageTimestamp::TimestampType>(type));
 }
 
 Message::operator bool() const {
@@ -117,12 +120,12 @@ rd_kafka_message_t* Message::get_handle() const {
 
 // MessageTimestamp
 
-MessageTimestamp::MessageTimestamp(int64_t timestamp, TimestampType type)
+MessageTimestamp::MessageTimestamp(milliseconds timestamp, TimestampType type)
 : timestamp_(timestamp), type_(type) {
 
 }
 
-int64_t MessageTimestamp::get_timestamp() const {
+milliseconds MessageTimestamp::get_timestamp() const {
     return timestamp_;
 }