diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1d77c7b7..33eb2c90 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "sqs-consumer",
-  "version": "5.5.0",
+  "version": "5.5.1",
   "description": "Build SQS-based Node applications without the boilerplate",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
diff --git a/src/consumer.ts b/src/consumer.ts
index 1b941730..5d91f0d6 100644
--- a/src/consumer.ts
+++ b/src/consumer.ts
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ export class Consumer extends EventEmitter {
     let heartbeat;
     try {
       if (this.heartbeatInterval) {
-        heartbeat = this.startHeartbeat(async (elapsedSeconds) => {
-          return this.changeVisabilityTimeout(message, elapsedSeconds + this.visibilityTimeout);
+        heartbeat = this.startHeartbeat(async () => {
+          return this.changeVisabilityTimeout(message, this.visibilityTimeout);
         });
       }
       await this.executeHandler(message);
@@ -338,8 +338,8 @@ export class Consumer extends EventEmitter {
     let heartbeat;
     try {
       if (this.heartbeatInterval) {
-        heartbeat = this.startHeartbeat(async (elapsedSeconds) => {
-          return this.changeVisabilityTimeoutBatch(messages, elapsedSeconds + this.visibilityTimeout);
+        heartbeat = this.startHeartbeat(async () => {
+          return this.changeVisabilityTimeoutBatch(messages, this.visibilityTimeout);
         });
       }
       await this.executeBatchHandler(messages);
@@ -405,11 +405,9 @@ export class Consumer extends EventEmitter {
     }
   }
 
-  private startHeartbeat(heartbeatFn: (elapsedSeconds: number) => void): NodeJS.Timeout {
-    const startTime = Date.now();
+  private startHeartbeat(heartbeatFn: () => void): NodeJS.Timeout {
     return setInterval(() => {
-      const elapsedSeconds = Math.ceil((Date.now() - startTime) / 1000);
-      heartbeatFn(elapsedSeconds);
+      heartbeatFn();
     }, this.heartbeatInterval * 1000);
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/consumer.ts b/test/consumer.ts
index acc91f05..990b7651 100644
--- a/test/consumer.ts
+++ b/test/consumer.ts
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ describe('Consumer', () => {
 
     });
 
-    it('extends visibility timeout for long running handler functions', async () => {
+    it('uses the correct visibility timeout for long running handler functions', async () => {
       consumer = new Consumer({
         queueUrl: 'some-queue-url',
         region: 'some-region',
@@ -641,17 +641,17 @@ describe('Consumer', () => {
       sandbox.assert.calledWith(sqs.changeMessageVisibility, {
         QueueUrl: 'some-queue-url',
         ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle',
-        VisibilityTimeout: 70
+        VisibilityTimeout: 40
       });
       sandbox.assert.calledWith(sqs.changeMessageVisibility, {
         QueueUrl: 'some-queue-url',
         ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle',
-        VisibilityTimeout: 100
+        VisibilityTimeout: 40
       });
       sandbox.assert.calledOnce(clearIntervalSpy);
     });
 
-    it('extends visibility timeout for long running batch handler functions', async () => {
+    it('passes in the correct visibility timeout for long running batch handler functions', async () => {
       sqs.receiveMessage = stubResolve({
         Messages: [
           { MessageId: '1', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-1', Body: 'body-1' },
@@ -677,17 +677,17 @@ describe('Consumer', () => {
       sandbox.assert.calledWith(sqs.changeMessageVisibilityBatch, {
         QueueUrl: 'some-queue-url',
         Entries: [
-          { Id: '1', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-1', VisibilityTimeout: 70 },
-          { Id: '2', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-2', VisibilityTimeout: 70 },
-          { Id: '3', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-3', VisibilityTimeout: 70 }
+          { Id: '1', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-1', VisibilityTimeout: 40 },
+          { Id: '2', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-2', VisibilityTimeout: 40 },
+          { Id: '3', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-3', VisibilityTimeout: 40 }
         ]
       });
       sandbox.assert.calledWith(sqs.changeMessageVisibilityBatch, {
         QueueUrl: 'some-queue-url',
         Entries: [
-          { Id: '1', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-1', VisibilityTimeout: 100 },
-          { Id: '2', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-2', VisibilityTimeout: 100 },
-          { Id: '3', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-3', VisibilityTimeout: 100 }
+          { Id: '1', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-1', VisibilityTimeout: 40 },
+          { Id: '2', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-2', VisibilityTimeout: 40 },
+          { Id: '3', ReceiptHandle: 'receipt-handle-3', VisibilityTimeout: 40 }
         ]
       });
       sandbox.assert.calledOnce(clearIntervalSpy);