diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/32/32.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/32/32.factor
index 0a0ac4a53e..95b65912d1 100755
--- a/basis/cpu/x86/32/32.factor
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/32/32.factor
@@ -305,10 +305,7 @@ os windows? [
     4 "double" c-type (>>align)
 ] unless
 
-FUNCTION: bool check_sse2 ( ) ;
-
-: sse2? ( -- ? )
-    check_sse2 ;
+USING: cpu.x86.features cpu.x86.features.private ;
 
 "-no-sse2" (command-line) member? [
     [ { check_sse2 } compile ] with-optimizer
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/features/authors.txt b/basis/cpu/x86/features/authors.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d4f5d6b3ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/features/authors.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Slava Pestov
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/features/features-tests.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/features/features-tests.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69847cacfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/features/features-tests.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+IN: cpu.x86.features.tests
+USING: cpu.x86.features tools.test kernel sequences math system ;
+
+cpu x86? [
+    [ t ] [ sse2? { t f } member? ] unit-test
+    [ t ] [ [ 10000 [ ] times ] count-instructions integer? ] unit-test
+] when
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/basis/cpu/x86/features/features.factor b/basis/cpu/x86/features/features.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc4818d6af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/cpu/x86/features/features.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+! Copyright (C) 2009 Slava Pestov.
+! See http://factorcode.org/license.txt for BSD license.
+USING: system kernel math alien.syntax ;
+IN: cpu.x86.features
+
+<PRIVATE
+
+FUNCTION: bool check_sse2 ( ) ;
+
+FUNCTION: longlong read_timestamp_counter ( ) ;
+
+PRIVATE>
+
+HOOK: sse2? cpu ( -- ? )
+
+M: x86.32 sse2? check_sse2 ;
+
+M: x86.64 sse2? t ;
+
+HOOK: instruction-count cpu ( -- n )
+
+M: x86 instruction-count read_timestamp_counter ;
+
+: count-instructions ( quot -- n )
+    instruction-count [ call ] dip instruction-count swap - ; inline
diff --git a/vm/cpu-x86.32.S b/vm/cpu-x86.32.S
index afda9d31cd..a879712190 100755
--- a/vm/cpu-x86.32.S
+++ b/vm/cpu-x86.32.S
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ DEF(bool,check_sse2,(void)):
 	mov %edx,%eax
 	ret
 
+DEF(long long,read_timestamp_counter,(void)):
+	rdtsc
+	ret
+
 DEF(void,primitive_inline_cache_miss,(void)):
 	mov (%esp),%ebx
 DEF(void,primitive_inline_cache_miss_tail,(void)):
@@ -69,4 +73,5 @@ DEF(void,primitive_inline_cache_miss_tail,(void)):
 #ifdef WINDOWS
 	.section .drectve
 	.ascii " -export:check_sse2"
+	.ascii " -export:read_timestamp_counter"
 #endif
diff --git a/vm/cpu-x86.64.S b/vm/cpu-x86.64.S
index 8cf7423239..5cc3c98f33 100644
--- a/vm/cpu-x86.64.S
+++ b/vm/cpu-x86.64.S
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ DEF(void,set_callstack,(F_STACK_FRAME *to, F_STACK_FRAME *from, CELL length, voi
 	call *ARG3                         /* call memcpy */
 	ret                                /* return _with new stack_ */
 
+DEF(long long,read_timestamp_counter,(void)):
+	mov $0,%rax
+	rdtsc
+	shl $32,%rdx
+	or %rdx,%rax
+	ret
+
 DEF(void,primitive_inline_cache_miss,(void)):
 	mov (%rsp),%rbx
 DEF(void,primitive_inline_cache_miss_tail,(void)):