diff --git a/moderntimeline.dtx b/moderntimeline.dtx
index aa2259d..8217a5d 100644
--- a/moderntimeline.dtx
+++ b/moderntimeline.dtx
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@
        tl@startyear/.style={
            font=#2,
            name=tl@startyear,
-           above=\tl@textstartabove,
+           above=\tl@textstartabove pt,
            inner xsep=0pt,
            anchor=#1,
        }