diff --git a/conf/base.config b/conf/base.config
index c7adb002..9f4abdba 100755
--- a/conf/base.config
+++ b/conf/base.config
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ process {
     withName: '.*:.*:READ_COVERAGE:MINIMAP2_ALIGN' {
         cpus    = { check_max( 20       * 1, 'cpus'                 ) }
         memory  = { check_max( 50.GB    * task.attempt, 'memory'    ) }
-        time    = { check_max( 1.h      * ${reference.size() < 1e9 ? 10 : reference.size() < 2.5e9 ? 30 : 300}, 'time'      ) }
+        time    = { check_max( 1.h      * (reference.size() < 1e9 ? 10 : reference.size() < 2.5e9 ? 30 : 300), 'time'      ) }
         //time   = { check_max( 30.h    * task.attempt, 'time'    ) }
     }