diff --git a/src/plugins/acct_gather_energy/rapl/acct_gather_energy_rapl.c b/src/plugins/acct_gather_energy/rapl/acct_gather_energy_rapl.c
index 8435e2f412fe4efc731830660771d52391b7c90e..d86111db2652522ad36db42485748ca34bb0b8a0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/acct_gather_energy/rapl/acct_gather_energy_rapl.c
+++ b/src/plugins/acct_gather_energy/rapl/acct_gather_energy_rapl.c
@@ -355,12 +355,13 @@ static void _get_joules_task(acct_gather_energy_t *energy)
 
 	if (energy->consumed_energy) {
 		uint16_t node_freq;
-		uint64_t diff_energy = energy->consumed_energy =
+		energy->consumed_energy =
 			(uint64_t)ret - energy->base_consumed_energy;
+		energy->current_watts =
+			(uint32_t)ret - energy->previous_consumed_energy;
 		node_freq = slurm_get_acct_gather_node_freq();
 		if (node_freq)	/* Prevent divide by zero */
-			diff_energy /= (float)node_freq;
-		local_energy->current_watts = (uint32_t) diff_energy;
+			energy->current_watts /= (float)node_freq;
 	} else {
 		energy->consumed_energy = 1;
 		energy->base_consumed_energy = (uint64_t)ret;