diff --git a/src/common.cpp b/src/common.cpp
index ff420f9..16a5b7a 100644
--- a/src/common.cpp
+++ b/src/common.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <ndn-cpp/common.hpp>
 
+#if NDN_CPP_HAVE_TIME_H
+#include <time.h>
+#endif
+#if NDN_CPP_HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
+#include <sys/time.h>
+#endif
+
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace ndn {
@@ -30,5 +37,15 @@
   return result.str();
 }
 
+MillisecondsSince1970
+getNow()
+{
+  struct timeval t;
+  // Note: configure.ac requires gettimeofday.
+  gettimeofday(&t, 0);
+  return t.tv_sec * 1000.0 + t.tv_usec / 1000.0;
+}
+
+
 }