diff --git a/doc/specs/stdlib_datetime.md b/doc/specs/stdlib_datetime.md
index a561f67e5..97ffe736c 100644
--- a/doc/specs/stdlib_datetime.md
+++ b/doc/specs/stdlib_datetime.md
@@ -243,6 +243,14 @@ Pure function.
 #### Description
 
 Formats a `timedelta_type` as a human-readable string.
+For zero-day durations, compact forms are used:
+- `5ms` for sub-second values
+- `1.500s` or `42s` for sub-minute values
+- `MM:SS` when hours are zero
+- `HH:MM:SS[.mmm]` otherwise
+
+For nonzero-day durations, the verbose form is preserved:
+`X days, HH:MM:SS[.mmm]`.
 
 #### Syntax
 
@@ -250,7 +258,7 @@ Formats a `timedelta_type` as a human-readable string.
 
 #### Return value
 
-`character(:), allocatable` — e.g. `"30 days, 01:30:00"`.
+`character(:), allocatable` — e.g. `"5ms"`, `"1.500s"`, `"05:30"`, `"01:02:03.456"`, or `"30 days, 01:30:00"`.
 
 ## Utility Functions
 
diff --git a/example/datetime/example_datetime_usage.f90 b/example/datetime/example_datetime_usage.f90
index 113cf508a..1eaeb48ec 100644
--- a/example/datetime/example_datetime_usage.f90
+++ b/example/datetime/example_datetime_usage.f90
@@ -65,7 +65,19 @@ program example_datetime
     t3 = datetime_type(2026, 3, 17, 17, 30, 0, 0, 330)
     print '(A,L1)', '12:00Z == 17:30+05:30? ', t2 == t3
 
-    ! 9. Unix epoch
+    ! 9. Compact format_timedelta (sub-second / sub-minute)
+    print *
+    print '(A)', '=== Compact Duration Formatting ==='
+    duration = timedelta(milliseconds=5)
+    print '(A,T40,A)', 'timedelta(ms=5):', format_timedelta(duration)
+    duration = timedelta(milliseconds=1500)
+    print '(A,T40,A)', 'timedelta(ms=1500):', format_timedelta(duration)
+    duration = timedelta(seconds=65)
+    print '(A,T40,A)', 'timedelta(s=65):', format_timedelta(duration)
+    duration = timedelta(hours=1, minutes=2, seconds=3)
+    print '(A,T40,A)', 'timedelta(1h 2m 3s):', format_timedelta(duration)
+
+    ! 10. Unix epoch
     print *
     print '(A,A)', 'Unix epoch:         ', &
         format_datetime(epoch())
diff --git a/src/datetime/stdlib_datetime.f90 b/src/datetime/stdlib_datetime.f90
index c15e03e93..95b6f2a5b 100644
--- a/src/datetime/stdlib_datetime.f90
+++ b/src/datetime/stdlib_datetime.f90
@@ -340,21 +340,59 @@ pure function format_timedelta(td) result(str)
         !! version: experimental
         !!
         !! Format a timedelta_type as a readable string.
+        !! When days == 0, sub-second/sub-minute durations are formatted
+        !! compactly (e.g. "5ms", "1.500s", "05:30"). The "0 days, "
+        !! prefix is omitted. When days /= 0, original verbose format
+        !! is preserved.
         type(timedelta_type), intent(in) :: td
         character(:), allocatable :: str
-        integer :: h, m, s
+        integer :: h, m, s, ms
+
+        h  = td%seconds / 3600
+        m  = mod(td%seconds, 3600) / 60
+        s  = mod(td%seconds, 60)
+        ms = td%milliseconds
+
+        if (td%days == 0) then
+            ! Compact formatting for zero-day durations
+            if (h == 0 .and. m == 0 .and. s == 0) then
+                if (ms == 0) then
+                    str = "0s"
+                else
+                    str = to_string(ms, '(I0)') // "ms"
+                end if
+                return
+            end if
 
-        h = td%seconds / 3600
-        m = mod(td%seconds, 3600) / 60
-        s = mod(td%seconds, 60)
+            if (h == 0 .and. m == 0) then
+                if (ms == 0) then
+                    str = to_string(s, '(I0)') // "s"
+                else
+                    str = to_string(s, '(I0)') // "." // to_string(ms, '(I3.3)') // "s"
+                end if
+                return
+            end if
 
-        str = to_string(td%days, '(I0)') // ' days, ' // &
-              to_string(h, '(I2.2)') // ':' // &
-              to_string(m, '(I2.2)') // ':' // &
-              to_string(s, '(I2.2)')
+            if (h > 0) then
+                str = to_string(h, '(I2.2)') // ":" // &
+                      to_string(m, '(I2.2)') // ":" // &
+                      to_string(s, '(I2.2)')
+            else
+                str = to_string(m, '(I2.2)') // ":" // &
+                      to_string(s, '(I2.2)')
+            end if
 
-        if (td%milliseconds /= 0) then
-            str = str // '.' // to_string(td%milliseconds, '(I3.3)')
+            if (ms /= 0) str = str // "." // to_string(ms, '(I3.3)')
+        else
+            ! Original format for durations with days
+            str = to_string(td%days, '(I0)') // ' days, ' // &
+                  to_string(h, '(I2.2)') // ':' // &
+                  to_string(m, '(I2.2)') // ':' // &
+                  to_string(s, '(I2.2)')
+
+            if (ms /= 0) then
+                str = str // '.' // to_string(ms, '(I3.3)')
+            end if
         end if
     end function format_timedelta
 
diff --git a/test/datetime/test_datetime.f90 b/test/datetime/test_datetime.f90
index e22344c38..933490f6d 100644
--- a/test/datetime/test_datetime.f90
+++ b/test/datetime/test_datetime.f90
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ subroutine collect_datetime(testsuite)
                      test_format_datetime_offset), &
         new_unittest("format_timedelta_test", &
                      test_format_timedelta), &
+        new_unittest("format_timedelta_compact", &
+                     test_format_timedelta_compact), &
         new_unittest("timedelta_ms_rollover", &
                      test_timedelta_ms_rollover), &
         new_unittest("to_utc_test", &
@@ -505,13 +507,97 @@ end subroutine test_format_datetime_offset
 subroutine test_format_timedelta(error)
     type(error_type), allocatable, intent(out) :: error
     type(timedelta_type) :: td
+
+    ! Legacy: days present -> "X days, HH:MM:SS"
     td = timedelta(days=30, hours=1, minutes=30)
     call check(error, &
         format_timedelta(td) == '30 days, 01:30:00', &
-        "timedelta format should be '30 days, 01:30:00'")
+        "[30d 1h 30m] -> '30 days, 01:30:00'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Days + hours + seconds
+    td = timedelta(days=2, hours=5, seconds=30)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '2 days, 05:00:30', &
+        "[2d 5h 30s] -> '2 days, 05:00:30'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Days + milliseconds: legacy days format keeps .mmm suffix
+    td = timedelta(days=2, hours=5, seconds=30, milliseconds=125)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '2 days, 05:00:30.125', &
+        "[2d 5h 30s 125ms] -> '2 days, 05:00:30.125'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! No days: hours only
+    td = timedelta(hours=1, minutes=2, seconds=3)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '01:02:03', &
+        "[1h 2m 3s] -> '01:02:03'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! No days, no hours: MM:SS
+    td = timedelta(minutes=5, seconds=30)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '05:30', &
+        "[5m 30s] -> '05:30'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! With milliseconds
+    td = timedelta(hours=1, minutes=2, seconds=3, milliseconds=456)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '01:02:03.456', &
+        "[1h 2m 3s 456ms] -> '01:02:03.456'")
     if (allocated(error)) return
 end subroutine test_format_timedelta
 
+subroutine test_format_timedelta_compact(error)
+    type(error_type), allocatable, intent(out) :: error
+    type(timedelta_type) :: td
+
+    ! Sub-second: milliseconds only
+    td = timedelta(milliseconds=5)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '5ms', &
+        "[5ms] -> '5ms'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Sub-second: zero
+    td = timedelta(milliseconds=0)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '0s', &
+        "[0ms] -> '0s'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Sub-minute: seconds with ms fraction
+    td = timedelta(milliseconds=1500)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '1.500s', &
+        "[1500ms] -> '1.500s'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Sub-minute: whole seconds
+    td = timedelta(seconds=42)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '42s', &
+        "[42s] -> '42s'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Minute-second compact form with milliseconds
+    td = timedelta(minutes=5, seconds=30, milliseconds=125)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '05:30.125', &
+        "[5m 30s 125ms] -> '05:30.125'")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+
+    ! Negative duration: preserves original format since days /= 0
+    td = timedelta(seconds=-1)
+    call check(error, &
+        format_timedelta(td) == '-1 days, 23:59:59', &
+        "[-1s] -> '-1 days, 23:59:59' (negative via days component)")
+    if (allocated(error)) return
+end subroutine test_format_timedelta_compact
+
 subroutine test_timedelta_ms_rollover(error)
     type(error_type), allocatable, intent(out) :: error
     type(datetime_type) :: dt, res