diff --git a/README b/README
index 18354d3337..dd250a0fa8 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -858,7 +858,8 @@ The following options need to be configured:
 		CONFIG_CMD_SPI		* SPI serial bus support
 		CONFIG_CMD_TFTPSRV	* TFTP transfer in server mode
 		CONFIG_CMD_TFTPPUT	* TFTP put command (upload)
-		CONFIG_CMD_TIME		* run command and report execution time
+		CONFIG_CMD_TIME		* run command and report execution time (ARM specific)
+		CONFIG_CMD_TIMER	* access to the system tick timer
 		CONFIG_CMD_USB		* USB support
 		CONFIG_CMD_CDP		* Cisco Discover Protocol support
 		CONFIG_CMD_MFSL		* Microblaze FSL support
diff --git a/common/cmd_misc.c b/common/cmd_misc.c
index 973b1c2082..3b47a0c095 100644
--- a/common/cmd_misc.c
+++ b/common/cmd_misc.c
@@ -53,3 +53,30 @@ U_BOOT_CMD(
 	"N\n"
 	"    - delay execution for N seconds (N is _decimal_ !!!)"
 );
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMD_TIMER
+static int do_timer(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * const argv[])
+{
+	static ulong start;
+
+	if (argc != 2)
+		return CMD_RET_USAGE;
+
+	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "start"))
+		start = get_timer(0);
+
+	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "get")) {
+		ulong msecs = get_timer(start) * 1000 / CONFIG_SYS_HZ;
+		printf("%ld.%03d\n", msecs / 1000, (int)(msecs % 1000));
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+U_BOOT_CMD(
+	timer,    2,    1,     do_timer,
+	"access the system timer",
+	"start - Reset the timer reference.\n"
+	"timer get   - Print the time since 'start'."
+);
+#endif