diff --git a/include/maxscale/mainworker.hh b/include/maxscale/mainworker.hh
index 0781c5fe6..61ab57fbb 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/mainworker.hh
+++ b/include/maxscale/mainworker.hh
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ public:
     void show_tasks(DCB* pDcb) const;
     json_t* tasks_to_json(const char* zhost) const;
 
+    static int64_t ticks();
+
 private:
     bool pre_run() override;
     void post_run() override;
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ private:
     };
 
     bool call_task(Worker::Call::action_t action, Task* pTask);
+    static bool inc_ticks(Worker::Call::action_t action);
 
     std::map<std::string, Task> m_tasks_by_name;
 };
diff --git a/server/core/mainworker.cc b/server/core/mainworker.cc
index d4c2cc30b..e3f193cb8 100644
--- a/server/core/mainworker.cc
+++ b/server/core/mainworker.cc
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ namespace
 
 static struct ThisUnit
 {
-    maxscale::MainWorker* pThis;
+    maxscale::MainWorker* pCurrent_main;
+    int64_t               clock_ticks;
 } this_unit;
 
 }
@@ -30,24 +31,26 @@ namespace maxscale
 
 MainWorker::MainWorker()
 {
-    mxb_assert(!this_unit.pThis);
+    mxb_assert(!this_unit.pCurrent_main);
 
-    this_unit.pThis = this;
+    this_unit.pCurrent_main = this;
+
+    delayed_call(100, &MainWorker::inc_ticks);
 }
 
 MainWorker::~MainWorker()
 {
-    mxb_assert(this_unit.pThis);
+    mxb_assert(this_unit.pCurrent_main);
 
-    this_unit.pThis = nullptr;
+    this_unit.pCurrent_main = nullptr;
 }
 
 //static
 MainWorker& MainWorker::get()
 {
-    mxb_assert(this_unit.pThis);
+    mxb_assert(this_unit.pCurrent_main);
 
-    return *this_unit.pThis;
+    return *this_unit.pCurrent_main;
 }
 
 void MainWorker::add_task(const char* zName, TASKFN func, void* pData, int frequency)
@@ -144,6 +147,12 @@ json_t* MainWorker::tasks_to_json(const char* zHost) const
     return pResult;
 }
 
+//static
+int64_t MainWorker::ticks()
+{
+    return mxb::atomic::load(&this_unit.clock_ticks, mxb::atomic::RELAXED);
+}
+
 bool MainWorker::pre_run()
 {
     return true;
@@ -185,4 +194,15 @@ bool MainWorker::call_task(Worker::Call::action_t action, MainWorker::Task* pTas
     return call_again;
 }
 
+//static
+bool MainWorker::inc_ticks(Worker::Call::action_t action)
+{
+    if (action == Worker::Call::EXECUTE)
+    {
+        mxb::atomic::add(&this_unit.clock_ticks, 1, mxb::atomic::RELAXED);
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 }