diff --git a/lib/timer.h b/lib/timer.h
index 04544ace..161e39d3 100644
--- a/lib/timer.h
+++ b/lib/timer.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static inline timer *timers_first(struct timeloop *loop)
 
 #define current_time()		atomic_load_explicit(&last_time, memory_order_acquire)
 #define current_real_time()	atomic_load_explicit(&real_time, memory_order_acquire)
+#define current_time_update()	({ times_update(); current_time(); })
 
 //#define now (current_time() TO_S)
 //#define now_real (current_real_time() TO_S)
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/io-loop.c b/sysdep/unix/io-loop.c
index 5ab93b31..9b107a1a 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/io-loop.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/io-loop.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ birdloop_main(void *arg)
     if (loop->poll_changed)
       sockets_prepare(loop);
 
-    btime duration = current_time() - loop_begin;
+    btime duration = current_time_update() - loop_begin;
     if (duration > config->watchdog_warning)
       log(L_WARN "I/O loop cycle took %d ms", (int) (duration TO_MS));
 
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ birdloop_main(void *arg)
     if (loop->stopped && !loop->links)
       break;
 
-    loop_begin = current_time();
+    loop_begin = current_time_update();
 
     if (rv)
       sockets_fire(loop);
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/io.c b/sysdep/unix/io.c
index fa836f28..e3e388af 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/io.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/io.c
@@ -2100,8 +2100,7 @@ static btime loop_time;
 static void
 io_update_time(void)
 {
-  times_update();
-  last_io_time = current_time();
+  last_io_time = current_time_update();
 
   if (event_open)
   {