diff --git a/lib/timer.c b/lib/timer.c
index 381163d0..785b8aa4 100644
--- a/lib/timer.c
+++ b/lib/timer.c
@@ -76,6 +76,19 @@ current_time(void)
   return timeloop_current()->last_time;
 }
 
+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;
+}
+
 btime
 current_real_time(void)
 {
diff --git a/lib/timer.h b/lib/timer.h
index c5ea430c..bfd9904e 100644
--- a/lib/timer.h
+++ b/lib/timer.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ static inline timer *timers_first(struct timeloop *loop)
 extern struct timeloop main_timeloop;
 
 btime current_time(void);
+btime current_time_now(void);
 btime current_real_time(void);
 
 //#define now (current_time() TO_S)