diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkConf.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkConf.scala
index 6c4c5c94cfa28..854dfbd7b1cb0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkConf.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkConf.scala
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
 
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 import scala.collection.mutable.LinkedHashSet
+import scala.concurrent.duration._
 
 import org.apache.avro.{Schema, SchemaNormalization}
 
@@ -610,7 +611,8 @@ class SparkConf(loadDefaults: Boolean) extends Cloneable with Logging with Seria
       s"${NETWORK_AUTH_ENABLED.key} must be enabled when enabling encryption.")
 
     val executorTimeoutThreshold = getTimeAsSeconds("spark.network.timeout", "120s")
-    val executorHeartbeatInterval = getTimeAsSeconds("spark.executor.heartbeatInterval", "10s")
+    val executorHeartbeatInterval =
+      getTimeAsMs("spark.executor.heartbeatInterval", "10s").millis.toSeconds
     // If spark.executor.heartbeatInterval bigger than spark.network.timeout,
     // it will almost always cause ExecutorLostFailure. See SPARK-22754.
     require(executorTimeoutThreshold > executorHeartbeatInterval, "The value of " +
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/executor/Executor.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/executor/Executor.scala
index 97dfcc482b174..9ac8063739984 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/executor/Executor.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/executor/Executor.scala
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import javax.annotation.concurrent.GuardedBy
 
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 import scala.collection.mutable.{ArrayBuffer, HashMap, Map}
+import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ThreadFactoryBuilder
@@ -831,9 +832,11 @@ private[spark] class Executor(
     }
 
     val message = Heartbeat(executorId, accumUpdates.toArray, env.blockManager.blockManagerId)
+    val heartbeatIntervalInSec =
+      conf.getTimeAsMs("spark.executor.heartbeatInterval", "10s").millis.toSeconds.seconds
     try {
       val response = heartbeatReceiverRef.askSync[HeartbeatResponse](
-          message, RpcTimeout(conf, "spark.executor.heartbeatInterval", "10s"))
+          message, new RpcTimeout(heartbeatIntervalInSec, "spark.executor.heartbeatInterval"))
       if (response.reregisterBlockManager) {
         logInfo("Told to re-register on heartbeat")
         env.blockManager.reregister()