diff --git a/source/blood/src/blood.cpp b/source/blood/src/blood.cpp
index 43f0e7f1b..9c7d42d0c 100644
--- a/source/blood/src/blood.cpp
+++ b/source/blood/src/blood.cpp
@@ -671,11 +671,6 @@ void ParseOptions(void)
 
 }
 
-void ClockStrobe()
-{
-    //gGameClock++;
-}
-
 void ReadAllRFS();
 
 static const char* actions[] = {
@@ -752,7 +747,6 @@ void GameInterface::app_init()
     Printf("Loading control setup\n");
     ctrlInit();
     timerInit(120);
-    timerSetCallback(ClockStrobe);
 
     Printf("Initializing network users\n");
     netInitialize(true);
diff --git a/source/build/include/timer.h b/source/build/include/timer.h
index 942e06d30..1b5abcea9 100644
--- a/source/build/include/timer.h
+++ b/source/build/include/timer.h
@@ -16,6 +16,4 @@ uint64_t timerGetFreqU64(void);
 double   timerGetHiTicks(void);
 uint32_t timerGetTicks(void);
 
-void (*timerSetCallback(void (*callback)(void)))(void);
-
 #endif // timer_h__
diff --git a/source/build/src/timer.cpp b/source/build/src/timer.cpp
index cb9d9d59b..0e2bde063 100644
--- a/source/build/src/timer.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/timer.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ int timerInit(int const tickspersecond)
     return 0;
 }
 
-TArray<void(*)(void)> callbacks;
-
 void timerUpdateClock(void)
 {
     auto time = steady_clock::now();
@@ -51,21 +49,5 @@ void timerUpdateClock(void)
     totalclock += n;
     timerlastsample += n*nanoseconds(1000000000/timerticspersec);
 
-	// This function can get called from deep within processing loops.
-	// The callbacks in here may not be called recursively, though.
-	static bool recursion;
-	if (recursion) return;
-	recursion = true;
-
-	for (; n > 0; n--)
-	{
-		for (auto cb : callbacks) cb();
-	}
-	recursion = false;
 }
 
-void(*timerSetCallback(void(*callback)(void)))(void)
-{
-	callbacks.Push(callback);
-    return nullptr;
-}
diff --git a/source/core/console/c_console.cpp b/source/core/console/c_console.cpp
index 290e7d0ea..09d62c2ae 100644
--- a/source/core/console/c_console.cpp
+++ b/source/core/console/c_console.cpp
@@ -638,8 +638,6 @@ void C_InitConsole (int width, int height, bool ingame)
 	ConCols = ConWidth / cwidth;
 
 	if (conbuffer == NULL) conbuffer = new FConsoleBuffer;
-
-	timerSetCallback(C_Ticker);
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -1011,11 +1009,6 @@ void C_NewModeAdjust ()
 int consoletic = 0;
 void C_Ticker()
 {
-	// The engine timer ticks at 120 fps which is 4x too fast for this.
-	static int delay = 0;
-	if (++delay < 4) return;
-	delay = 0;
-
 	static int lasttic = 0;
 	consoletic++;
 
diff --git a/source/core/gamecontrol.cpp b/source/core/gamecontrol.cpp
index e01ff0f9d..26564719a 100644
--- a/source/core/gamecontrol.cpp
+++ b/source/core/gamecontrol.cpp
@@ -855,7 +855,6 @@ int RunGame()
 	sfx_empty = fileSystem.FindFile("engine/dsempty.lmp"); // this must be done outside the sound code because it's initialized late.
 	I_InitSound();
 	Mus_InitMusic();
-	timerSetCallback(Mus_UpdateMusic);
 	S_ParseSndInfo();
 	InitStatistics();
 	LoadScripts();
@@ -884,6 +883,28 @@ int RunGame()
 //
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+
+void TickSubsystems()
+{
+	// run these on an independent timer until we got something working for the games.
+	static const uint64_t tickInterval = 1'000'000'000 / 30;
+	static uint64_t nexttick = 0;
+
+	auto nowtick = I_nsTime();
+	if (nexttick == 0) nexttick = nowtick;
+	int cnt = 0;
+	while (nexttick <= nowtick && cnt < 5)
+	{
+		nexttick += tickInterval;
+		C_Ticker();
+		M_Ticker();
+		cnt++;
+	}
+	// If this took too long the engine was most likely suspended so recalibrate the timer.
+	// Perfect precision is not needed here.
+	if (cnt == 5) nexttick = nowtick + tickInterval;
+}
+
 void app_loop()
 {
 	gamestate = GS_STARTUP;
@@ -892,6 +913,7 @@ void app_loop()
 	{
 		try
 		{
+			TickSubsystems();
 			twod->SetSize(screen->GetWidth(), screen->GetHeight());
 			twodpsp.SetSize(screen->GetWidth(), screen->GetHeight());
 			I_SetFrameTime();
@@ -910,6 +932,7 @@ void app_loop()
 
 			videoNextPage();
 			videoSetBrightness(0);	// immediately reset this so that the value doesn't stick around in the backend.
+			Mus_UpdateMusic();		// must be at the end.
 		}
 		catch (CRecoverableError& err)
 		{
diff --git a/source/core/menu/listmenu.cpp b/source/core/menu/listmenu.cpp
index d983baf9e..0fb79dfbd 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/listmenu.cpp
+++ b/source/core/menu/listmenu.cpp
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ void DListMenu::PreDraw()
 		gi->DrawMenuCaption(origin, GStrings.localize(mDesc->mCaption));
 	}
 }
-
+	
 void DListMenu::Drawer ()
 {
 	PreDraw();
@@ -317,20 +317,7 @@ bool FListMenuItem::Selectable()
 
 void FListMenuItem::DrawSelector(int xofs, int yofs, FGameTexture *tex)
 {
-	if (!tex)
-	{
-		if ((DMenu::MenuTime%8) < 6)
-		{
-			DrawText(twod, ConFont, OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection,
-				(mXpos + xofs - 160) * CleanXfac + screen->GetWidth() / 2,
-				(mYpos + yofs - 100) * CleanYfac + screen->GetHeight() / 2,
-				"\xd",
-				DTA_CellX, 8 * CleanXfac,
-				DTA_CellY, 8 * CleanYfac,
-				TAG_DONE);
-		}
-	}
-	else
+	if (tex)
 	{
 		DrawTexture (twod, tex, mXpos + xofs, mYpos + yofs, DTA_Clean, true, TAG_DONE);
 	}
diff --git a/source/core/menu/menu.cpp b/source/core/menu/menu.cpp
index 7794c1dd2..4395b543a 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/source/core/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ CVAR(Int, m_show_backbutton, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 TArray<MenuClassDescriptor*> menuClasses(TArray<MenuClassDescriptor*>::ENoInit(0));
 
 DMenu *CurrentMenu;
-int DMenu::MenuTime;
 bool DMenu::InMenu;
 
 FNewGameStartup NewGameStartupInfo;
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ bool MenuTransition::StartTransition(DMenu *from, DMenu *to, MenuTransitionType
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		start  = (int32_t) totalclock;
+		start  = I_GetTimeNS() * (120. / 1'000'000'000.);
 		length = 30;
 		dir = animtype == MA_Advance? 1 : -1;
 		previous = from;
@@ -123,10 +122,11 @@ bool MenuTransition::StartTransition(DMenu *from, DMenu *to, MenuTransitionType
 
 bool MenuTransition::Draw()
 {
-	if (totalclock < start + length)
+	double now = I_GetTimeNS() * (120. / 1'000'000'000);
+	if (now < start + length)
 	{
 		double factor = 120 * xdim / ydim;
-		double phase = ((int32_t) totalclock - start) / double(length) * M_PI + M_PI/2;
+		double phase = (now - start) / double(length) * M_PI + M_PI/2;
 		
 		previous->origin.X = factor * dir * (sin(phase) - 1.);
 		current->origin.X = factor * dir * (sin(phase) + 1.);
@@ -414,8 +414,6 @@ void M_ActivateMenu(DMenu *menu)
 		transition.StartTransition(CurrentMenu, menu, MA_Advance);
 	}
 	CurrentMenu = menu;
-	DMenu::MenuTime = -1;
-	M_Ticker();	// This needs to be called once here to make sure that the menu actually has ticked before it gets drawn for the first time.
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -865,8 +863,6 @@ bool M_Responder(event_t* ev)
 
 void M_Ticker (void) 
 {
-	DMenu::MenuTime++;
-	if (DMenu::MenuTime & 3) return;
 	if (CurrentMenu != NULL && menuactive != MENU_Off) 
 	{
 		if (transition.previous) transition.previous->Ticker();
@@ -1013,7 +1009,6 @@ void M_Init (void)
 	RegisterLoadsaveMenus();
 	RegisterOptionMenus();
 	RegisterJoystickMenus();
-	timerSetCallback(M_Ticker);
 	M_ParseMenuDefs();
 	UpdateJoystickMenu(nullptr);
 }
diff --git a/source/core/menu/menu.h b/source/core/menu/menu.h
index fed5dfbdd..819c7e459 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/menu.h
+++ b/source/core/menu/menu.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct MenuTransition
 	DMenu* previous;
 	DMenu* current;
 
-	int32_t start;
+	double start;
 	int32_t length;
 	int32_t dir;
 
@@ -319,7 +319,6 @@ public:
 		BACKBUTTON_TIME = 4*MENU_TICRATE
 	};
 
-	static int MenuTime;
 	static bool InMenu;
 
 	DMenu *mParentMenu;
diff --git a/source/core/menu/messagebox.cpp b/source/core/menu/messagebox.cpp
index 1d219de97..ddef3f5d9 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/messagebox.cpp
+++ b/source/core/menu/messagebox.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include "statistics.h"
 #include "v_2ddrawer.h"
 #include "v_video.h"
+#include "i_time.h"
 #include "engineerrors.h"
 
 extern FSaveGameNode *quickSaveSlot;
@@ -232,7 +233,8 @@ void DMessageBoxMenu::Drawer()
 
 			if (messageSelection >= 0)
 			{
-				if (((DMenu::MenuTime >> 2) % 8) < 6)
+				auto time = I_msTime() / 30;
+				if (((time >> 2) % 8) < 6)
 				{
 					DrawText(twod, SmallFont, OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection,
 						(150 - 160) * CleanXfac + screen->GetWidth() / 2,
diff --git a/source/core/menu/optionmenu.cpp b/source/core/menu/optionmenu.cpp
index f12fb9221..acadaba78 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/optionmenu.cpp
+++ b/source/core/menu/optionmenu.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include "v_draw.h"
 #include "v_2ddrawer.h"
 #include "v_video.h"
+#include "i_time.h"
 
 //=============================================================================
 //
@@ -428,7 +429,8 @@ void DOptionMenu::Drawer ()
 		int cur_indent = mDesc->mItems[i]->Draw(mDesc, y, indent, isSelected);
 		if (cur_indent >= 0 && isSelected && mDesc->mItems[i]->Selectable())
 		{
-			if ((((DMenu::MenuTime>>2)%8) < 6) || CurrentMenu != this)
+			auto time = I_msTime() / 30;
+			if ((((time>>2)%8) < 6) || CurrentMenu != this)
 			{
 				DrawOptionText(cur_indent + 3 * CleanXfac_1, y, OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection, "◄");
 				//M_DrawConText(OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection, cur_indent + 3 * CleanXfac_1, y+fontheight-9*CleanYfac_1, "\xd");
diff --git a/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.cpp b/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.cpp
index 6a069eb42..28bb23822 100644
--- a/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.cpp
+++ b/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ short nLocalSpr;
 int nNetPlayerCount = 0;
 
 short nClockVal;
-short fps;
 short nRedTicks;
 short bInMove;
 short nAlarmTicks;
@@ -210,22 +209,6 @@ void ShutDown(void)
     //UnInitFX();
 }
 
-void timerhandler()
-{
-    UpdateSounds();
-    scan_char++;
-    if (scan_char == kTimerTicks)
-    {
-        scan_char = 0;
-        lastfps = fps;
-        fps = 0;
-    }
-
-    if (!bInMove) {
-        C_RunDelayedCommands();
-    }
-}
-
 void HandleAsync()
 {
     handleevents();
@@ -573,7 +556,6 @@ void InitTimer()
     htimer = 1;
 
     timerInit(kTimerTicks);
-    timerSetCallback(timerhandler);
 }
 
 static const char* actions[] =
diff --git a/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.h b/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.h
index ae203a9fc..f61258190 100644
--- a/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.h
+++ b/source/exhumed/src/exhumed.h
@@ -210,7 +210,6 @@ extern short nClockVal;
 extern short bSlipMode;
 
 extern int bVanilla;
-extern short fps;
 extern short bInMove;
 
 #define POWERSLAVE  (g_gameType & GAMEFLAG_POWERSLAVE)
diff --git a/source/exhumed/src/gameloop.cpp b/source/exhumed/src/gameloop.cpp
index 697113c0b..a26fadcce 100644
--- a/source/exhumed/src/gameloop.cpp
+++ b/source/exhumed/src/gameloop.cpp
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ void GameLoop()
     GameTicker();
     PlayerInterruptKeys();
     CheckKeys2();
-    fps++;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/source/exhumed/src/init.cpp b/source/exhumed/src/init.cpp
index 847c54777..9fd2f7607 100644
--- a/source/exhumed/src/init.cpp
+++ b/source/exhumed/src/init.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,6 @@ void InitLevel(int level)
         InitPlayerKeys(i);
     }
 
-    fps = 0;
     lastfps = 0;
     InitStatus();
     ResetView();
diff --git a/source/exhumed/src/view.cpp b/source/exhumed/src/view.cpp
index 708ab80dd..b28bef83f 100644
--- a/source/exhumed/src/view.cpp
+++ b/source/exhumed/src/view.cpp
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ void DrawView(double smoothRatio, bool sceneonly)
     fix16_t nAngle;
     fix16_t pan;
 
+	UpdateSounds();
+	
     zbob = Sin(2 * bobangle) >> 3;
 
     int nPlayerSprite = PlayerList[nLocalPlayer].nSprite;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/game.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/game.cpp
index 6a23f2b5a..4a333deb8 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/game.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/game.cpp
@@ -275,25 +275,6 @@ static void SetupGameButtons()
 //
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-static void ticker(void)
-{
-	S_Update();
-
-	// we need CONTROL_GetInput in order to pick up joystick button presses
-	if (gamestate != GS_LEVEL || (paused && !System_WantGuiCapture()))
-	{
-		ControlInfo noshareinfo;
-		CONTROL_GetInput(&noshareinfo);
-		C_RunDelayedCommands();
-	}
-}
-
-//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-//
-//
-//
-//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 static void loaddefs()
 {
 	const char* defsfile = G_DefFile();
@@ -370,7 +351,6 @@ static void Startup(void)
 	S_InitSound();
 
 	timerInit(TICRATE);
-	timerSetCallback(ticker);
 
 	loadcons();
 	fi.initactorflags();
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/gameloop.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/gameloop.cpp
index add4f7458..d3b20585b 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/gameloop.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/gameloop.cpp
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ bool GameTicker()
 
 	drawtime.Reset();
 	drawtime.Clock();
+	S_Update();
 	displayrooms(screenpeek, smoothRatio);
 	displayrest(smoothRatio);
 	drawtime.Unclock();