diff --git a/cpu/lpc2387/rtc/lpc2387-rtc.c b/cpu/lpc2387/rtc/lpc2387-rtc.c
index af6131c87..7eca711b3 100644
--- a/cpu/lpc2387/rtc/lpc2387-rtc.c
+++ b/cpu/lpc2387/rtc/lpc2387-rtc.c
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ static rtc_alarm_cb_t _cb;
 /* Argument to alarm callback */
 static void *_cb_arg;
 
-/**
- * @brief   epoch time in hour granularity
- */
-static volatile time_t epoch;
+/* internal function to set time based on time_t */
+static void _rtc_set(time_t time);
 
 void RTC_IRQHandler(void) __attribute__((interrupt("IRQ")));
 
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ void rtc_init(void)
 {
     PCONP |= BIT9;
     RTC_AMR = 0xff;                         /* disable alarm irq */
-    RTC_CIIR = IMHOUR;                      /* enable increase irq */
+    RTC_CIIR = 0;                           /* disable increase irq */
     RTC_CISS = 0;                           /* disable subsecond irq */
 
     INTWAKE |= BIT15;                       /* rtc irq wakes up mcu from power down */
@@ -49,12 +47,11 @@ void rtc_init(void)
     /* initialize clock with valid unix compatible values
      * If RTC_YEAR contains an value larger unix time_t we must reset. */
     if (RTC_YEAR > 2037) {
-        rtc_reset();
+        _rtc_set(0);
     }
 
-    DEBUG("%2lu.%2lu.%4lu  %2lu:%2lu:%2lu epoch %lu\n",
-          RTC_DOM, RTC_MONTH, RTC_YEAR, RTC_HOUR, RTC_MIN, RTC_SEC,
-          epoch);
+    DEBUG("%2lu.%2lu.%4lu  %2lu:%2lu:%2lu\n",
+            RTC_DOM, RTC_MONTH, RTC_YEAR, RTC_HOUR, RTC_MIN, RTC_SEC);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -154,9 +151,6 @@ void rtc_poweron(void)
     RTC_ILR = (ILR_RTSSF | ILR_RTCCIF | ILR_RTCALF);    /* clear interrupt flags */
     RTC_CCR |= CCR_CLKEN;                               /* enable clock */
     install_irq(RTC_INT, &RTC_IRQHandler, IRQP_RTC);    /* install interrupt handler */
-
-    time_t now = rtc_time(NULL);
-    epoch = now - (now % 3600);
 }
 
 void rtc_poweroff(void)
@@ -173,13 +167,9 @@ void RTC_IRQHandler(void)
 
     if (RTC_ILR & ILR_RTSSF) {
         /* sub second interrupt (does not need flag-clearing) */
-
     }
     else if (RTC_ILR & ILR_RTCCIF) {
         /* counter increase interrupt */
-        RTC_ILR |= ILR_RTCCIF;
-        epoch += 60 * 60;                   /* add 1 hour */
-
     }
     else if (RTC_ILR & ILR_RTCALF) {
         RTC_ILR |= ILR_RTCALF;
@@ -194,47 +184,9 @@ void RTC_IRQHandler(void)
     VICVectAddr = 0;                        /* Acknowledge Interrupt */
 }
 
-time_t rtc_time(struct timeval *time)
-{
-    uint32_t sec;
-    uint32_t usec;
-    uint32_t min;
-
-    usec = (RTC_CTC >> 1);
-    sec  = RTC_SEC;
-    min = RTC_MIN;
-
-    while (usec != (RTC_CTC >> 1)) {
-        usec = (RTC_CTC >> 1);
-        sec  = RTC_SEC;
-        min = RTC_MIN;
-    }
-
-    sec += min * 60;           /* add number of minutes */
-    sec += epoch;              /* add precalculated epoch in hour granularity */
-
-    if (time != NULL) {
-        usec = usec * 15625;
-        usec >>= 9;
-        time->tv_sec = sec;
-        time->tv_usec =  usec;
-    }
-
-    return sec;
-}
-
-void rtc_set(time_t time)
+static void _rtc_set(time_t time)
 {
     struct tm *localt;
     localt = localtime(&time);                      /* convert seconds to broken-down time */
     rtc_set_time(localt);
-    epoch = time - localt->tm_sec - localt->tm_min * 60;
 }
-
-/* set clock to start of unix epoch */
-void rtc_reset(void)
-{
-    rtc_set(0);
-    epoch = 0;
-}
-