diff --git a/src/dispatch.c b/src/dispatch.c
index 4fe805e..aa40071 100644
--- a/src/dispatch.c
+++ b/src/dispatch.c
@@ -543,3 +543,14 @@ void raw1394_iso_shutdown(raw1394handle_t handle)
 	else
 		ieee1394_iso_shutdown(handle->mode.ieee1394);
 }
+
+int raw1394_read_cycle_timer(raw1394handle_t handle,
+                             u_int32_t *cycle_timer, u_int64_t *local_time)
+{
+	if (handle && handle->is_fw)
+		return fw_read_cycle_timer(handle->mode.fw,
+			cycle_timer, local_time);
+	else
+		return ieee1394_read_cycle_timer(handle->mode.ieee1394,
+			cycle_timer, local_time);
+}
diff --git a/src/fw-iso.c b/src/fw-iso.c
index a1794c3..f493444 100644
--- a/src/fw-iso.c
+++ b/src/fw-iso.c
@@ -529,3 +529,22 @@ void fw_iso_shutdown(fw_handle_t handle)
 	free(handle->iso.packets);
 	handle->iso.packets = NULL;
 }
+
+int fw_read_cycle_timer(fw_handle_t handle,
+			u_int32_t *cycle_timer, u_int64_t *local_time)
+{
+#ifdef FW_CDEV_IOC_GET_CYCLE_TIMER /* added in kernel 2.6.24 */
+	int err;
+	struct fw_cdev_get_cycle_timer ctr = { 0 };
+
+	err = ioctl(handle->iso.fd, FW_CDEV_IOC_GET_CYCLE_TIMER, &ctr);
+	if (!err) {
+		*cycle_timer = ctr.cycle_timer;
+		*local_time  = ctr.local_time;
+	}
+	return err;
+#else
+	errno = ENOSYS;
+	return -1;
+#endif /* defined(FW_CDEV_IOC_GET_CYCLE_TIMER) */
+}
diff --git a/src/fw.h b/src/fw.h
index e3196de..4ee9017 100644
--- a/src/fw.h
+++ b/src/fw.h
@@ -253,5 +253,7 @@ int fw_iso_recv_unlisten_channel(fw_handle_t handle,
 int fw_iso_recv_set_channel_mask(fw_handle_t handle, u_int64_t mask);
 void fw_iso_stop(fw_handle_t handle);
 void fw_iso_shutdown(fw_handle_t handle);
+int fw_read_cycle_timer(fw_handle_t handle,
+			u_int32_t *cycle_timer, u_int64_t *local_time);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/raw1394.h b/src/raw1394.h
index 1bcdf19..7cc07e6 100644
--- a/src/raw1394.h
+++ b/src/raw1394.h
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ void raw1394_iso_stop(raw1394handle_t handle);
 void raw1394_iso_shutdown(raw1394handle_t handle);
 
 /**
- * raw1394_get_cycle_timer - get the current value of the cycle timer
+ * raw1394_read_cycle_timer - get the current value of the cycle timer
  * @handle: libraw1394 handle
  * @cycle_timer: buffer for Isochronous Cycle Timer
  * @local_time: buffer for local system time in microseconds since Epoch