diff --git a/python/scripts/nvbench_compare.py b/python/scripts/nvbench_compare.py
index f0ad1e2..d6ad337 100644
--- a/python/scripts/nvbench_compare.py
+++ b/python/scripts/nvbench_compare.py
@@ -2526,15 +2526,13 @@ def format_duration(seconds, *, allow_negative=False, allow_zero=False):
     ):
         return "n/a"
 
-    if seconds >= 1:
+    magnitude = abs(seconds)
+    if magnitude >= 1:
         multiplier = 1.0
         units = "s"
-    elif seconds >= 1e-3:
+    elif magnitude >= 1e-3:
         multiplier = 1e3
         units = "ms"
-    elif seconds >= 1e-6:
-        multiplier = 1e6
-        units = "us"
     else:
         multiplier = 1e6
         units = "us"
diff --git a/python/scripts/nvbench_compare_legacy.py b/python/scripts/nvbench_compare_legacy.py
index c51acad..e7adcaf 100644
--- a/python/scripts/nvbench_compare_legacy.py
+++ b/python/scripts/nvbench_compare_legacy.py
@@ -883,15 +883,13 @@ def format_duration(seconds, *, allow_negative=False, allow_zero=False):
     ):
         return "n/a"
 
-    if seconds >= 1:
+    magnitude = abs(seconds)
+    if magnitude >= 1:
         multiplier = 1.0
         units = "s"
-    elif seconds >= 1e-3:
+    elif magnitude >= 1e-3:
         multiplier = 1e3
         units = "ms"
-    elif seconds >= 1e-6:
-        multiplier = 1e6
-        units = "us"
     else:
         multiplier = 1e6
         units = "us"
diff --git a/python/test/test_nvbench_compare.py b/python/test/test_nvbench_compare.py
index f8a582e..d60fea2 100644
--- a/python/test/test_nvbench_compare.py
+++ b/python/test/test_nvbench_compare.py
@@ -1572,9 +1572,8 @@ def test_format_diff_and_percent_ranges(nvbench_compare):
     assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(math.inf) == "n/a"
     assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(-1.0) == "n/a"
     assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(0.0) == "n/a"
-    assert (
-        nvbench_compare.format_duration(-1.0, allow_negative=True) == "-1000000.000 us"
-    )
+    assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(-1.0, allow_negative=True) == "-1.000 s"
+    assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(-1e-3, allow_negative=True) == "-1.000 ms"
     assert nvbench_compare.format_duration(0.0, allow_zero=True) == "0.000 us"
     assert nvbench_compare.format_duration_range((-12e-6, 8e-6)) == "[-12.00, 8.00] us"
     assert (