diff --git a/source/common/hid.c b/source/common/hid.c
index 2ea6396..c6a0e72 100644
--- a/source/common/hid.c
+++ b/source/common/hid.c
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ u32 InputWait() {
     u32 pad_state_old = HID_STATE;
     u32 cart_state_old = CART_STATE;
     u32 sd_state_old = SD_STATE;
+    u64 timer = timer_start();
     delay = (delay) ? 72 : 128;
-    timer_start();
     while (true) {
         u32 pad_state = HID_STATE;
         if (!(pad_state & BUTTON_ANY)) { // no buttons pressed
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ u32 InputWait() {
         }
         if ((pad_state == pad_state_old) &&
             (!(pad_state & BUTTON_ARROW) ||
-            (delay && (timer_msec() < delay))))
+            (delay && (timer_msec(timer) < delay))))
             continue;
         // make sure the key is pressed
         u32 t_pressed = 0;
diff --git a/source/common/timer.c b/source/common/timer.c
index e98dfd3..5f0b53a 100644
--- a/source/common/timer.c
+++ b/source/common/timer.c
@@ -1,36 +1,48 @@
 #include "timer.h"
 
-void timer_start( void ) {
-    // reset / deactivate timers
-    *TIMER_CNT0 = 0;
-    *TIMER_CNT1 = *TIMER_CNT2 = *TIMER_CNT3 = TIMER_COUNT_UP;
-    *TIMER_VAL0 = *TIMER_VAL1 = *TIMER_VAL2 = *TIMER_VAL3 = 0;
+u64 timer_start( void ) {
+    static bool timer_init = true;
+    if (timer_init) {
+        // reset / deactivate timers
+        *TIMER_CNT0 = 0;
+        *TIMER_CNT1 = *TIMER_CNT2 = *TIMER_CNT3 = TIMER_COUNT_UP;
+        *TIMER_VAL0 = *TIMER_VAL1 = *TIMER_VAL2 = *TIMER_VAL3 = 0;
 
-    // start timers
-    *TIMER_CNT0 = TIMER_ACTIVE;
-    *TIMER_CNT1 = *TIMER_CNT2 = *TIMER_CNT3 = TIMER_ACTIVE | TIMER_COUNT_UP;
+        // start timers
+        *TIMER_CNT0 = TIMER_ACTIVE;
+        *TIMER_CNT1 = *TIMER_CNT2 = *TIMER_CNT3 = TIMER_ACTIVE | TIMER_COUNT_UP;
+        
+        // timer initialized (no need to do this more than once)
+        timer_init = false;
+    }
+    return timer_ticks( 0 );
 }
 
-void timer_stop( void ) {
+/*void timer_stop( void ) {
     *TIMER_CNT0 &= ~TIMER_ACTIVE;
     *TIMER_CNT1 &= ~TIMER_ACTIVE;
     *TIMER_CNT2 &= ~TIMER_ACTIVE;
     *TIMER_CNT3 &= ~TIMER_ACTIVE;
-}
+}*/
 
-u64 timer_ticks( void ) {
+u64 timer_ticks( u64 start_time ) {
     u64 ticks = 0;
     ticks |= (u64) *TIMER_VAL0 <<  0;
     ticks |= (u64) *TIMER_VAL1 << 16;
     ticks |= (u64) *TIMER_VAL2 << 32;
     ticks |= (u64) *TIMER_VAL3 << 48;
-    return ticks;
+    return ticks - start_time;
 }
 
-u64 timer_msec( void ) {
-    return (timer_ticks() * 1000) / TICKS_PER_SEC;
+u64 timer_msec( u64 start_time ) {
+    return timer_ticks( start_time ) / (TICKS_PER_SEC/1000);
 }
 
-u64 timer_sec( void ) {
-    return timer_ticks() / TICKS_PER_SEC;
+u64 timer_sec( u64 start_time ) {
+    return timer_ticks( start_time ) / TICKS_PER_SEC;
+}
+
+void wait_msec( u64 msec ) {
+    u64 timer = timer_start();
+    while (timer_msec( timer ) < msec );
 }
diff --git a/source/common/timer.h b/source/common/timer.h
index 658fbcd..76b8f71 100644
--- a/source/common/timer.h
+++ b/source/common/timer.h
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 #define TIMER_ACTIVE    0x0080
 #define TICKS_PER_SEC   67027964ULL
 
-void timer_start( void );
-void timer_stop( void );
-u64 timer_ticks( void );
-u64 timer_msec( void );
-u64 timer_sec( void );
+u64 timer_start( void );
+u64 timer_ticks( u64 start_time );
+u64 timer_msec( u64 start_time );
+u64 timer_sec( u64 start_time );
+void wait_msec( u64 msec );
diff --git a/source/common/ui.c b/source/common/ui.c
index 1a59335..ee9c511 100644
--- a/source/common/ui.c
+++ b/source/common/ui.c
@@ -608,13 +608,14 @@ bool ShowProgress(u64 current, u64 total, const char* opstr)
     u32 prog_percent = ((total > 0) && (current <= total)) ? (current * 100) / total : 0;
     char tempstr[64];
     char progstr[64];
+    u64 timer = 0;
     
     static u64 last_sec_remain = 0;
     if (!current) {
-        timer_start();
+        timer = timer_start();
         last_sec_remain = 0;
     }
-    u64 sec_elapsed = (total > 0) ? timer_sec() : 0;
+    u64 sec_elapsed = (total > 0) ? timer_sec( timer ) : 0;
     u64 sec_total = (current > 0) ? (sec_elapsed * total) / current : 0;
     u64 sec_remain = (!last_sec_remain) ? (sec_total - sec_elapsed) : ((last_sec_remain + (sec_total - sec_elapsed) + 1) / 2);
     if (sec_remain >= 60 * 60) sec_remain = 60 * 60 - 1;
diff --git a/source/godmode.c b/source/godmode.c
index 49d21ed..2af0bc7 100644
--- a/source/godmode.c
+++ b/source/godmode.c
@@ -1373,7 +1373,7 @@ u32 GodMode() {
     }
     
     SplashInit();
-    timer_start(); // show splash for at least 1 sec
+    u64 timer = timer_start(); // show splash for at least 1 sec
     
     InitSDCardFS();
     AutoEmuNandBase(true);
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ u32 GodMode() {
     clipboard->n_entries = 0;
     memset(panedata, 0x00, 0x10000);
     
-    while(timer_sec() < 1); // show splash for at least 1 sec
+    while(timer_sec( timer ) < 1); // show splash for at least 1 sec
     ClearScreenF(true, true, COLOR_STD_BG); // clear splash
     
     while (true) { // this is the main loop