diff --git a/core/sleep.hh b/core/sleep.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24b3f54c34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/sleep.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * This file is open source software, licensed to you under the terms
+ * of the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License").  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership.  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 (C) 2015 Cloudius Systems, Ltd.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <chrono>
+#include <functional>
+
+#include "core/shared_ptr.hh"
+#include "core/reactor.hh"
+#include "core/future.hh"
+
+template <typename Clock = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock, typename Rep, typename Period>
+future<> sleep(std::chrono::duration<Rep, Period> dur) {
+    struct sleeper {
+        promise<> done;
+        timer<Clock> tmr;
+        sleeper(std::chrono::duration<Rep, Period> dur)
+            : tmr([this] { done.set_value(); delete this; })
+        {
+            tmr.arm(dur);
+        }
+    };
+    return (new sleeper(dur))->done.get_future();
+}