diff --git a/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.cpp b/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.cpp
index 3dab4bd1835..5731a7bb911 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ DEFINE_DEVICE_TYPE(RTC9701, rtc9701_device, "rtc9701", "Epson RTC-9701-JE RTC/EE
 rtc9701_device::rtc9701_device(const machine_config &mconfig, const char *tag, device_t *owner, uint32_t clock)
 	: device_t(mconfig, RTC9701, tag, owner, clock)
 	, device_nvram_interface(mconfig, *this)
+	, device_rtc_interface(mconfig, *this)
 	, m_latch(0)
 	, m_reset_line(CLEAR_LINE)
 	, m_clock_line(CLEAR_LINE)
@@ -95,17 +96,6 @@ void rtc9701_device::device_start()
 	m_timer = timer_alloc(FUNC(rtc9701_device::timer_callback), this);
 	m_timer->adjust(attotime::from_hz(clock() / XTAL(32'768)), 0, attotime::from_hz(clock() / XTAL(32'768)));
 
-	system_time systime;
-	machine().base_datetime(systime);
-
-	m_rtc.day = ((systime.local_time.mday / 10)<<4) | ((systime.local_time.mday % 10) & 0xf);
-	m_rtc.month = (((systime.local_time.month+1) / 10) << 4) | (((systime.local_time.month+1) % 10) & 0xf);
-	m_rtc.wday = 1 << systime.local_time.weekday;
-	m_rtc.year = (((systime.local_time.year % 100)/10)<<4) | ((systime.local_time.year % 10) & 0xf);
-	m_rtc.hour = ((systime.local_time.hour / 10)<<4) | ((systime.local_time.hour % 10) & 0xf);
-	m_rtc.min = ((systime.local_time.minute / 10)<<4) | ((systime.local_time.minute % 10) & 0xf);
-	m_rtc.sec = ((systime.local_time.second / 10)<<4) | ((systime.local_time.second % 10) & 0xf);
-
 	rtc_state = state_t::CMD_WAIT;
 	cmd_stream_pos = 0;
 	current_cmd = 0;
@@ -131,6 +121,22 @@ void rtc9701_device::device_start()
 }
 
 
+//-------------------------------------------------
+//  rtc_clock_updated - update clock with real time
+//-------------------------------------------------
+
+void rtc9701_device::rtc_clock_updated(int year, int month, int day, int day_of_week, int hour, int minute, int second)
+{
+	m_rtc.day = ((day / 10)<<4) | ((day % 10) & 0xf);
+	m_rtc.month = ((month / 10) << 4) | ((month % 10) & 0xf);
+	m_rtc.wday = 1 << (day_of_week - 1);
+	m_rtc.year = (((year % 100)/10)<<4) | ((year % 10) & 0xf);
+	m_rtc.hour = ((hour / 10)<<4) | ((hour % 10) & 0xf);
+	m_rtc.min = ((minute / 10)<<4) | ((minute % 10) & 0xf);
+	m_rtc.sec = ((second / 10)<<4) | ((second % 10) & 0xf);
+}
+
+
 //-------------------------------------------------
 //  device_reset - device-specific reset
 //-------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.h b/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.h
index 49d8e56582d..b2cd1945660 100644
--- a/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.h
+++ b/src/devices/machine/rtc9701.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include "dirtc.h"
+
 
 //**************************************************************************
 //  TYPE DEFINITIONS
@@ -22,7 +24,8 @@
 // ======================> rtc9701_device
 
 class rtc9701_device :  public device_t,
-						public device_nvram_interface
+						public device_nvram_interface,
+						public device_rtc_interface
 {
 public:
 	// construction/destruction
@@ -65,6 +68,11 @@ protected:
 	inline uint8_t rtc_read(uint8_t offset);
 	inline void rtc_write(uint8_t offset,uint8_t data);
 
+	// device_rtc_interface overrides
+	virtual bool rtc_feature_y2k() const override { return false; }
+	virtual bool rtc_feature_leap_year() const override { return true; }
+	virtual void rtc_clock_updated(int year, int month, int day, int day_of_week, int hour, int minute, int second) override;
+
 	int                     m_latch;
 	int                     m_reset_line;
 	int                     m_clock_line;