diff --git a/include/Common/Timer.h b/include/Common/Timer.h
index c155542..dfca121 100644
--- a/include/Common/Timer.h
+++ b/include/Common/Timer.h
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ class Timer {
     
     /// \return Returns time elapsed since reset, in microseconds.
     double getTime();    
+
+    /// \return Returns the time until next timeout, in microseconds. This may be a negative value if timeout occured already.
+    double getRemainingTime();
     
   private:
     std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::high_resolution_clock> t0; // time of reset
diff --git a/src/Timer.cxx b/src/Timer.cxx
index 8023585..1d95f6d 100644
--- a/src/Timer.cxx
+++ b/src/Timer.cxx
@@ -38,5 +38,10 @@ double Timer::getTime() {
     return tdiff.count();
 } 
 
+double Timer::getRemainingTime() {
+    std::chrono::duration<double> tdiff= std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now() - t0;
+    return tmax-tdiff.count();
+} 
+
 } // namespace Common
 } // namespace AliceO2