diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index e7c1b7dd5..7255852e0 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -1727,7 +1727,7 @@ Helper functions
 * `minetest.is_yes(arg)`
     * returns whether `arg` can be interpreted as yes
 * `minetest.get_us_time()`
-    * returns time with microsecond precision
+    * returns time with microsecond precision. May not return wall time.
 * `table.copy(table)`: returns a table
     * returns a deep copy of `table`
 
diff --git a/src/porting.h b/src/porting.h
index 5da32607c..5fe81a440 100644
--- a/src/porting.h
+++ b/src/porting.h
@@ -211,33 +211,11 @@ void initIrrlicht(irr::IrrlichtDevice * );
 	}
 
 #else // Posix
-
-	inline u32 getTimeS()
+	inline void _os_get_clock(struct timespec *ts)
 	{
-		struct timeval tv;
-		gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
-		return tv.tv_sec;
-	}
-
-	inline u32 getTimeMs()
-	{
-		struct timeval tv;
-		gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
-		return tv.tv_sec * 1000 + tv.tv_usec / 1000;
-	}
-
-	inline u32 getTimeUs()
-	{
-		struct timeval tv;
-		gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
-		return tv.tv_sec * 1000000 + tv.tv_usec;
-	}
-
-	inline u32 getTimeNs()
-	{
-		struct timespec ts;
-		// from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5167269/clock-gettime-alternative-in-mac-os-x
-#if defined(__MACH__) && defined(__APPLE__) // OS X does not have clock_gettime, use clock_get_time
+#if defined(__MACH__) && defined(__APPLE__)
+	// from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5167269/clock-gettime-alternative-in-mac-os-x
+	// OS X does not have clock_gettime, use clock_get_time
 		clock_serv_t cclock;
 		mach_timespec_t mts;
 		host_get_clock_service(mach_host_self(), CALENDAR_CLOCK, &cclock);
@@ -245,9 +223,44 @@ void initIrrlicht(irr::IrrlichtDevice * );
 		mach_port_deallocate(mach_task_self(), cclock);
 		ts.tv_sec = mts.tv_sec;
 		ts.tv_nsec = mts.tv_nsec;
+#elif defined(CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW)
+		clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW, ts);
+#elif defined(_POSIX_MONOTONIC_CLOCK)
+		clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, ts);
 #else
-		clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts);
-#endif
+		struct timeval tv;
+		gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
+		TIMEVAL_TO_TIMESPEC(&tv, ts);
+#endif // defined(__MACH__) && defined(__APPLE__)
+	}
+
+	// Note: these clock functions do not return wall time, but
+	// generally a clock that starts at 0 when the process starts.
+	inline u32 getTimeS()
+	{
+		struct timespec ts;
+		_os_get_clock(&ts);
+		return ts.tv_sec;
+	}
+
+	inline u32 getTimeMs()
+	{
+		struct timespec ts;
+		_os_get_clock(&ts);
+		return ts.tv_sec * 1000 + ts.tv_nsec / 1000000;
+	}
+
+	inline u32 getTimeUs()
+	{
+		struct timespec ts;
+		_os_get_clock(&ts);
+		return ts.tv_sec * 1000000 + ts.tv_nsec / 1000;
+	}
+
+	inline u32 getTimeNs()
+	{
+		struct timespec ts;
+		_os_get_clock(&ts);
 		return ts.tv_sec * 1000000000 + ts.tv_nsec;
 	}