diff --git a/lib/timer.h b/lib/timer.h
index c5ea430c..0f87852b 100644
--- a/lib/timer.h
+++ b/lib/timer.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ extern struct timeloop main_timeloop;
 btime current_time(void);
 btime current_real_time(void);
 
+/* In sysdep code */
+btime current_time_now(void);
+
 //#define now (current_time() TO_S)
 //#define now_real (current_real_time() TO_S)
 extern btime boot_time;
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/io.c b/sysdep/unix/io.c
index e131ca41..6aedcfb6 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/io.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/io.c
@@ -171,6 +171,19 @@ times_update_real_time(struct timeloop *loop)
   loop->real_time = ts.tv_sec S + ts.tv_nsec NS;
 }
 
+btime
+current_time_now(void)
+{
+  struct timespec ts;
+  int rv;
+
+  rv = clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &ts);
+  if (rv < 0)
+    die("clock_gettime: %m");
+
+  return ts.tv_sec S + ts.tv_nsec NS;
+}
+
 
 /**
  * DOC: Sockets