diff --git a/photon/tests/test_timer.py b/photon/tests/test_timer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bd0c15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/photon/tests/test_timer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+from .. import init, InitFlags, timer
+import time
+
+def init_timer():
+    init(InitFlags.TIMER)
+
+def test_performance_counter():
+    init_timer()
+    first = timer.get_performance_counter()
+    time.sleep(1.1)
+    second = timer.get_performance_counter()
+    freq = timer.get_performance_frequency()
+    assert second > first
+    assert second/freq > first/freq
+
+def test_get_ticks():
+    init_timer()
+    first = timer.get_ticks()
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+    second = timer.get_ticks()
+    assert second > first
+    # delay should safely put it in this range
+    assert 50 < second - first < 500
+
diff --git a/photon/timer.py b/photon/timer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08f8c08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/photon/timer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import ctypes
+from .internal import _SDL
+
+_SDL.SDL_GetPerformanceCounter.restype = ctypes.c_uint64
+_SDL.SDL_GetPerformanceFrequency.restype = ctypes.c_uint64
+_SDL.SDL_GetTicks.restype = ctypes.c_uint32
+
+
+def get_performance_counter():
+    return _SDL.SDL_GetPerformanceCounter()
+
+def get_performance_frequency():
+    return _SDL.SDL_GetPerformanceFrequency()
+
+def get_ticks():
+    return _SDL.SDL_GetTicks()
+