diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
index c0db897aa..eadb7e3d4 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-onscreen-native.c
@@ -231,12 +231,6 @@ notify_view_crtc_presented (MetaRendererView *view,
   meta_onscreen_native_swap_drm_fb (onscreen);
 }
 
-static int64_t
-timeval_to_microseconds (const struct timeval *tv)
-{
-  return ((int64_t) tv->tv_sec) * G_USEC_PER_SEC + tv->tv_usec;
-}
-
 static void
 page_flip_feedback_flipped (MetaKmsCrtc  *kms_crtc,
                             unsigned int  sequence,
@@ -258,7 +252,7 @@ page_flip_feedback_flipped (MetaKmsCrtc  *kms_crtc,
   kms_device = meta_kms_crtc_get_device (kms_crtc);
   if (meta_kms_device_uses_monotonic_clock (kms_device))
     {
-      presentation_time_us = timeval_to_microseconds (&page_flip_time);
+      presentation_time_us = meta_timeval_to_microseconds (&page_flip_time);
       flags |= COGL_FRAME_INFO_FLAG_HW_CLOCK;
     }
   else
diff --git a/src/core/util-private.h b/src/core/util-private.h
index d6af275b3..0568c6850 100644
--- a/src/core/util-private.h
+++ b/src/core/util-private.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #define META_UTIL_PRIVATE_H
 
 #include <glib/gi18n-lib.h>
+#include <sys/time.h>
 
 #include "meta/util.h"
 #include "meta/common.h"
@@ -44,6 +45,12 @@ char *   meta_generate_random_id (GRand *rand,
 
 void meta_init_debug_utils (void);
 
+static inline int64_t
+meta_timeval_to_microseconds (const struct timeval *tv)
+{
+  return ((int64_t) tv->tv_sec) * G_USEC_PER_SEC + tv->tv_usec;
+}
+
 #define META_POINT_IN_RECT(xcoord, ycoord, rect) \
   ((xcoord) >= (rect).x &&                   \
    (xcoord) <  ((rect).x + (rect).width) &&  \