diff --git a/MRClient/avocirb.cpp b/MRClient/avocirb.cpp
index 988f2e0053..80022ba061 100644
--- a/MRClient/avocirb.cpp
+++ b/MRClient/avocirb.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include "BasicsC/strings.h"
 #include "Logger/Logger.h"
 #include "MRuby/MRLineEditor.h"
+#include "MRuby/mr-utils.h"
 #include "SimpleHttpClient/SimpleHttpClient.h"
 #include "SimpleHttpClient/SimpleHttpResult.h"
 
@@ -50,8 +51,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "mruby.h"
 #include "mruby/proc.h"
 #include "mruby/data.h"
+#include "mruby/variable.h"
 #include "compile.h"
-#include "variable.h"
 }
 
 using namespace std;
@@ -452,6 +453,8 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[]) {
   // create a new ruby shell
   mrb_state* mrb = mrb_open();
 
+  TRI_InitMRUtils(mrb);
+
   RunShell(mrb);
 
   // calling dispose in V8 3.10.x causes a segfault. the v8 docs says its not necessary to call it upon program termination
diff --git a/MRuby/mr-utils.c b/MRuby/mr-utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6240cb31f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MRuby/mr-utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief mruby utilities
+///
+/// @file
+///
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2004-2012 triagens GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Dr. Frank Celler
+/// @author Copyright 2011-2012, triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include "mr-utils.h"
+
+#include "mruby.h"
+#include "mruby/data.h"
+#include "mruby/proc.h"
+#include "mruby/variable.h"
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                 private functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @addtogroup AvocadoDB
+/// @{
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief returns the time in seconds
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+static mrb_value MR_Time (mrb_state* mrb, mrb_value self) {
+  return mrb_float_value(TRI_microtime());
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @}
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                 private functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @addtogroup AvocadoDB
+/// @{
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief init utilities
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+void TRI_InitMRUtils (mrb_state* mrb) {
+  struct RClass *krn;
+
+  krn = mrb->kernel_module;
+
+  // timing function
+  mrb_define_method(mrb, krn, "time", MR_Time, ARGS_NONE());
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @}
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+// Local Variables:
+// mode: outline-minor
+// outline-regexp: "^\\(/// @brief\\|/// {@inheritDoc}\\|/// @addtogroup\\|// --SECTION--\\|/// @\\}\\)"
+// End:
diff --git a/MRuby/mr-utils.h b/MRuby/mr-utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dad3032358
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MRuby/mr-utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief mruby utilities
+///
+/// @file
+///
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2004-2012 triagens GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Dr. Frank Celler
+/// @author Copyright 2011-2012, triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifndef TRIAGENS_MRUBY_MR_UTILS_H
+#define TRIAGENS_MRUBY_MR_UTILS_H 1
+
+#include "BasicsC/common.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                              forward declarations
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+struct mrb_state;
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                 private variables
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @addtogroup AvocadoDB
+/// @{
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @}
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                 private functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @addtogroup AvocadoDB
+/// @{
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief init utilities
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+void TRI_InitMRUtils (struct mrb_state* mrb);
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @}
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif
+
+// Local Variables:
+// mode: outline-minor
+// outline-regexp: "^\\(/// @brief\\|/// {@inheritDoc}\\|/// @addtogroup\\|// --SECTION--\\|/// @\\}\\)"
+// End: