diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageTimer.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageTimer.cpp
index 15ee941f83..1a81e54fc7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageTimer.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageTimer.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 /* We only actually get 1000 using SDL. */
 #define TIMESTAMP_RESOLUTION 1000000
 
-const RageZeroTimer_t RageZeroTimer;
+const RageTimer RageZeroTimer(0,0);
 
 void mySDL_GetTicks( unsigned &secs, unsigned &us )
 {
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@ void mySDL_GetTicks( unsigned &secs, unsigned &us )
 	if( !bInitialized )
 	{
 		bInitialized = true;
-		if( !SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_TIMER) )
-			SDL_InitSubSystem( SDL_INIT_TIMER );
+		/* We don't want the timer system; it starts a thread, and we never use it. */
+		// if( !SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_TIMER) )
+		//	SDL_InitSubSystem( SDL_INIT_TIMER );
+
+		/* Calling this will still initialize the hidden "ticks" system, so we can
+		 * use SDL_GetTicks. */
+		SDL_InitSubSystem( 0 );
 	}
 
 	/* Ticks may be less than last for at least two reasons: the time may have wrapped (after
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageTimer.h b/stepmania/src/RageTimer.h
index d3f143f042..f17f273f92 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageTimer.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageTimer.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class RageTimer
 {
 public:
 	RageTimer() { Touch(); }
+	RageTimer( int secs, int us ): m_secs(secs), m_us(us) { }
 
 	/* Time ago this RageTimer represents. */
 	float Ago() const;
@@ -62,11 +63,7 @@ private:
 	static float Difference(const RageTimer &lhs, const RageTimer &rhs);
 };
 
-struct RageZeroTimer_t: public RageTimer
-{
-	RageZeroTimer_t() { SetZero(); }
-};
-extern const RageZeroTimer_t RageZeroTimer;
+extern const RageTimer RageZeroTimer;
 
 #endif