diff --git a/src/pkg/syscall/syscall.go b/src/pkg/syscall/syscall.go
index f82c6c56263..b10358ab820 100644
--- a/src/pkg/syscall/syscall.go
+++ b/src/pkg/syscall/syscall.go
@@ -29,3 +29,11 @@ func StringBytePtr(s string) *byte { return &StringByteSlice(s)[0] }
 // Single-word zero for use when we need a valid pointer to 0 bytes.
 // See mksyscall.pl.
 var _zero uintptr
+
+func (ts *Timespec) Unix() (sec int64, nsec int64) {
+	return int64(ts.Sec), int64(ts.Nsec)
+}
+
+func (tv *Timeval) Unix() (sec int64, nsec int64) {
+	return int64(tv.Sec), int64(tv.Usec) * 1000
+}
diff --git a/src/pkg/syscall/syscall_windows.go b/src/pkg/syscall/syscall_windows.go
index b77a0779c51..45e2994f158 100644
--- a/src/pkg/syscall/syscall_windows.go
+++ b/src/pkg/syscall/syscall_windows.go
@@ -624,6 +624,13 @@ func (w WaitStatus) Signaled() bool { return false }
 
 func (w WaitStatus) TrapCause() int { return -1 }
 
+// Timespec is an invented structure on Windows, but here for
+// consistency with the syscall package for other operating systems.
+type Timespec struct {
+	Sec  int64
+	Nsec int64
+}
+
 // TODO(brainman): fix all needed for net
 
 func Accept(fd Handle) (nfd Handle, sa Sockaddr, err error) { return 0, nil, EWINDOWS }