Systems and methods are described for implementing a distributed unit in a radio access network that synchronizes its clock with a radio unit. A distributed unit may be deployed in a location where it cannot receive timing information from a satellite or may lack the equipment to obtain and process satellite signals. The clock of the distributed unit may thus drift relative to the clocks of the radio units, which may cause the distributed unit to mistime its transmissions of data to radio units for delivery to user devices. The distributed unit may prevent clock drift by obtaining timing information from the radio units, determining an amount of clock drift that is occurring, and applying a correction factor to keep the distributed unit clock synchronized with the radio unit clock. The distributed unit may determine how often to synchronize based on the severity and variability of the clock drift.