diff --git a/include/osg/GraphicsContext b/include/osg/GraphicsContext
index 9fbeec5c7..14091924e 100644
--- a/include/osg/GraphicsContext
+++ b/include/osg/GraphicsContext
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 #include <osg/State>
 #include <osg/GraphicsThread>
+#include <osg/Timer>
+
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace osg {
@@ -328,6 +330,8 @@ class OSG_EXPORT GraphicsContext : public Object
           * Note, must only be called from a thread with this context current.*/
         virtual void clear();
         
+        double getTimeSinceLastClear() const { return osg::Timer::instance()->delta_s(_lastClearTick, osg::Timer::instance()->tick()); }
+        
 
         /** Realize the GraphicsContext.*/
         bool realize();
@@ -496,6 +500,7 @@ class OSG_EXPORT GraphicsContext : public Object
         
         ref_ptr<ResizedCallback>            _resizedCallback;
         
+        Timer_t                             _lastClearTick;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/osg/GraphicsContext.cpp b/src/osg/GraphicsContext.cpp
index f8949b374..4c4dacd0c 100644
--- a/src/osg/GraphicsContext.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/GraphicsContext.cpp
@@ -382,7 +382,8 @@ GraphicsContext* GraphicsContext::getCompileContext(unsigned int contextID)
 GraphicsContext::GraphicsContext():
     _clearColor(osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f)),
     _clearMask(0),
-    _threadOfLastMakeCurrent(0)
+    _threadOfLastMakeCurrent(0),
+    _lastClearTick(0)
 {
     setThreadSafeRefUnref(true);
     _operationsBlock = new RefBlock;
@@ -393,7 +394,8 @@ GraphicsContext::GraphicsContext():
 GraphicsContext::GraphicsContext(const GraphicsContext&, const osg::CopyOp&):
     _clearColor(osg::Vec4(0.0f,0.0f,0.0f,1.0f)),
     _clearMask(0),
-    _threadOfLastMakeCurrent(0)
+    _threadOfLastMakeCurrent(0),
+    _lastClearTick(0)
 {
     setThreadSafeRefUnref(true);
     _operationsBlock = new RefBlock;
@@ -410,6 +412,8 @@ GraphicsContext::~GraphicsContext()
 
 void GraphicsContext::clear()
 {
+    _lastClearTick = osg::Timer::instance()->tick();
+
     if (_clearMask==0 || !_traits) return;
 
     glViewport(0, 0, _traits->width, _traits->height);