diff --git a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 88c26241..24d2e685 100644
--- a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ qt_add_library(quickshell-core STATIC
 	transformwatcher.cpp
 	boundcomponent.cpp
 	model.cpp
+	elapsedtimer.cpp
 )
 
 set_source_files_properties(main.cpp PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS GIT_REVISION="${GIT_REVISION}")
diff --git a/src/core/elapsedtimer.cpp b/src/core/elapsedtimer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91321122
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/elapsedtimer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#include "elapsedtimer.hpp"
+
+#include <qtypes.h>
+
+ElapsedTimer::ElapsedTimer() { this->timer.start(); }
+
+qreal ElapsedTimer::elapsed() { return static_cast<qreal>(this->elapsedNs()) / 1000000000.0; }
+
+qreal ElapsedTimer::restart() { return static_cast<qreal>(this->restartNs()) / 1000000000.0; }
+
+qint64 ElapsedTimer::elapsedMs() { return this->timer.elapsed(); }
+
+qint64 ElapsedTimer::restartMs() { return this->timer.restart(); }
+
+qint64 ElapsedTimer::elapsedNs() { return this->timer.nsecsElapsed(); }
+
+qint64 ElapsedTimer::restartNs() {
+	// see qelapsedtimer.cpp
+	auto old = this->timer;
+	this->timer.start();
+	return old.durationTo(this->timer).count();
+}
diff --git a/src/core/elapsedtimer.hpp b/src/core/elapsedtimer.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85850963
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/elapsedtimer.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <qelapsedtimer.h>
+#include <qobject.h>
+#include <qqmlintegration.h>
+#include <qtmetamacros.h>
+#include <qtypes.h>
+
+///! Measures time between events
+/// The ElapsedTimer measures time since its last restart, and is useful
+/// for determining the time between events that don't supply it.
+class ElapsedTimer: public QObject {
+	Q_OBJECT;
+	QML_ELEMENT;
+
+public:
+	explicit ElapsedTimer();
+
+	/// Return the number of seconds since the timer was last
+	/// started or restarted, with nanosecond precision.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qreal elapsed();
+
+	/// Restart the timer, returning the number of seconds since
+	/// the timer was last started or restarted, with nanosecond precision.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qreal restart();
+
+	/// Return the number of milliseconds since the timer was last
+	/// started or restarted.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qint64 elapsedMs();
+
+	/// Restart the timer, returning the number of milliseconds since
+	/// the timer was last started or restarted.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qint64 restartMs();
+
+	/// Return the number of nanoseconds since the timer was last
+	/// started or restarted.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qint64 elapsedNs();
+
+	/// Restart the timer, returning the number of nanoseconds since
+	/// the timer was last started or restarted.
+	Q_INVOKABLE qint64 restartNs();
+
+private:
+	QElapsedTimer timer;
+};
diff --git a/src/core/module.md b/src/core/module.md
index dc1f204d..13218610 100644
--- a/src/core/module.md
+++ b/src/core/module.md
@@ -19,5 +19,6 @@ headers = [
 	"transformwatcher.hpp",
 	"boundcomponent.hpp",
 	"model.hpp",
+	"elapsedtimer.hpp",
 ]
 -----