diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a3eeafab76..800a0d08a3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ release.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Fix the unit of metric.process.runtime.jvm.system.cpu.load_1m to be {run_queue_item}
+  ([#95](https://github.com/open-telemetry/semantic-conventions/pull/95))
+
 ## v1.21.0 (2023-07-13)
 
 Note: This is the first release of Semantic Conventions separate from the Specification.
diff --git a/docs/system/runtime-environment-metrics.md b/docs/system/runtime-environment-metrics.md
index b51e8dd717..280450102c 100644
--- a/docs/system/runtime-environment-metrics.md
+++ b/docs/system/runtime-environment-metrics.md
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ This metric is obtained from [`OperatingSystemMXBean#getSystemLoadAverage()`](ht
 <!-- semconv metric.process.runtime.jvm.system.cpu.load_1m(metric_table) -->
 | Name     | Instrument Type | Unit (UCUM) | Description    |
 | -------- | --------------- | ----------- | -------------- |
-| `process.runtime.jvm.system.cpu.load_1m` | Gauge | `1` | Average CPU load of the whole system for the last minute as reported by the JVM. [1] |
+| `process.runtime.jvm.system.cpu.load_1m` | Gauge | `{run_queue_item}` | Average CPU load of the whole system for the last minute as reported by the JVM. [1] |
 
 **[1]:** The value range is [0,n], where n is the number of CPU cores - or a negative number if the value is not available. This utilization is not defined as being for the specific interval since last measurement (unlike `system.cpu.utilization`). [Reference](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/17/docs/api/java.management/java/lang/management/OperatingSystemMXBean.html#getSystemLoadAverage()).
 <!-- endsemconv -->
diff --git a/model/metrics/process-runtime-jvm-metrics-experimental.yaml b/model/metrics/process-runtime-jvm-metrics-experimental.yaml
index 6b5d5b60d4..3956368631 100644
--- a/model/metrics/process-runtime-jvm-metrics-experimental.yaml
+++ b/model/metrics/process-runtime-jvm-metrics-experimental.yaml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ groups:
       (unlike `system.cpu.utilization`).
       [Reference](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/17/docs/api/java.management/java/lang/management/OperatingSystemMXBean.html#getSystemLoadAverage()).
     instrument: gauge
-    unit: "1"
+    unit: "{run_queue_item}"
 
   - id: attributes.process.runtime.jvm.buffer
     type: attribute_group