diff --git a/v2/engine/execunix.c b/v2/engine/execunix.c
index 140dee8ae..904743a8e 100644
--- a/v2/engine/execunix.c
+++ b/v2/engine/execunix.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ void exec_cmd
 
     /* Start the command */
 
-    timestamp_init( &cmdtab[ slot ].start_dt, time( 0 ), 0 );
+    timestamp_current( &cmdtab[ slot ].start_dt );
 
     if ( 0 < globs.timeout )
     {
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ void exec_wait()
                     time_info.user   = (double)( new_time.tms_cutime -
                         old_time.tms_cutime ) / CLOCKS_PER_SEC;
                     timestamp_copy( &time_info.start, &cmdtab[ i ].start_dt );
-                    timestamp_init( &time_info.end, time( 0 ), 0 );
+                    timestamp_current( &time_info.end );
                     old_time = new_time;
                 }
 
diff --git a/v2/engine/jam.c b/v2/engine/jam.c
index 6277320d3..f6b838738 100644
--- a/v2/engine/jam.c
+++ b/v2/engine/jam.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv, char * * arg_environ )
         /* Set JAMDATE. */
         {
             timestamp current;
-            timestamp_init( &current, time( 0 ), 0 );
+            timestamp_current( &current );
             var_set( root_module(), constant_JAMDATE, list_new( outf_time(
                 &current ) ), VAR_SET );
         }
diff --git a/v2/engine/make1.c b/v2/engine/make1.c
index 1ab67a7ca..d4d874b82 100644
--- a/v2/engine/make1.c
+++ b/v2/engine/make1.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ static void make1c( state const * const pState )
         if ( globs.noexec || cmd->noop )
         {
             timing_info time_info = { 0 };
-            timestamp_init( &time_info.start, time( 0 ), 0 );
+            timestamp_current( &time_info.start );
             timestamp_copy( &time_info.end, &time_info.start );
             make1c_closure( t, EXEC_CMD_OK, &time_info, "", "", EXIT_OK );
         }
diff --git a/v2/engine/timestamp.c b/v2/engine/timestamp.c
index db400c6e1..81fefcaec 100644
--- a/v2/engine/timestamp.c
+++ b/v2/engine/timestamp.c
@@ -90,6 +90,12 @@ void timestamp_copy( timestamp * const target, timestamp const * const source )
 }
 
 
+void timestamp_current( timestamp * const t )
+{
+    timestamp_init( t, time( 0 ), 0 );
+}
+
+
 int timestamp_empty( timestamp const * const time )
 {
     return !time->secs && !time->nsecs;
diff --git a/v2/engine/timestamp.h b/v2/engine/timestamp.h
index 66e9af128..80d6fd8df 100644
--- a/v2/engine/timestamp.h
+++ b/v2/engine/timestamp.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ typedef struct timestamp
 void timestamp_clear( timestamp * const time );
 int timestamp_cmp( timestamp const * const lhs, timestamp const * const rhs );
 void timestamp_copy( timestamp * const target, timestamp const * const source );
+void timestamp_current( timestamp * const time );
 int timestamp_empty( timestamp const * const time );
 void timestamp_from_path( timestamp * const time, OBJECT * const path );
 void timestamp_init( timestamp * const time, time_t const secs, int const nsecs