diff --git a/_ark/dx/macros/dx_reader_macros.dta b/_ark/dx/macros/dx_reader_macros.dta
index 6867d94bb6..5dbd0ca7ab 100644
--- a/_ark/dx/macros/dx_reader_macros.dta
+++ b/_ark/dx/macros/dx_reader_macros.dta
@@ -317,6 +317,11 @@
       {set $dx_time_remaining
          {elem {find $entry dx_time_remaining} 1}
       }
+      {switch $dx_time_remaining ;can be removed before this eventually gets merged to main
+         (0 {set $dx_time_remaining off})
+         (1 {set $dx_time_remaining down})
+         (2 {set $dx_time_remaining up})
+      }
    }
    {if {== {elem $entry 0} {basename dx_disp_total_time}}
       {set $dx_disp_total_time
diff --git a/_ark/dx/ui/dx_ui_init.dta b/_ark/dx/ui/dx_ui_init.dta
index 612d05d71c..d970de69a2 100644
--- a/_ark/dx/ui/dx_ui_init.dta
+++ b/_ark/dx/ui/dx_ui_init.dta
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ DX_CURRENT_SONG_CLEAR
 #endif
 
 ;song timer/total time defaults
-{set $dx_time_remaining 0}
+{set $dx_time_remaining down}
 {set $dx_disp_total_time TRUE}
 
 ;countdown tracker