diff --git a/src/Timer.cpp b/src/Timer.cpp
index 1d26fe2f3..002270a7a 100644
--- a/src/Timer.cpp
+++ b/src/Timer.cpp
@@ -112,3 +112,11 @@ void Timer::subtract (unsigned long value)
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+unsigned long Timer::now ()
+{
+  struct timeval now;
+  gettimeofday (&now, NULL);
+  return now.tv_sec * 1000000 + now.tv_usec;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/Timer.h b/src/Timer.h
index c0137d1b2..f873e366d 100644
--- a/src/Timer.h
+++ b/src/Timer.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ public:
   unsigned long total () const;
   void subtract (unsigned long);
 
+  static unsigned long now ();
+
 private:
   std::string    _description;
   bool           _running;