diff --git a/stmhal/modutime.c b/stmhal/modutime.c
index 63597edde8..fae360bb02 100644
--- a/stmhal/modutime.c
+++ b/stmhal/modutime.c
@@ -130,18 +130,6 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t time_time(void) {
 }
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(time_time_obj, time_time);
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t time_ticks_cpu(void) {
-    static bool enabled = false;
-    if (!enabled) {
-        CoreDebug->DEMCR |= CoreDebug_DEMCR_TRCENA_Msk;
-        DWT->CYCCNT = 0;
-        DWT->CTRL |= DWT_CTRL_CYCCNTENA_Msk;
-        enabled = true;
-    }
-    return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(DWT->CYCCNT & MP_SMALL_INT_POSITIVE_MASK);
-}
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(time_ticks_cpu_obj, time_ticks_cpu);
-
 STATIC const mp_map_elem_t time_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR___name__), MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_utime) },
 
@@ -153,7 +141,7 @@ STATIC const mp_map_elem_t time_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_sleep_us), (mp_obj_t)&mp_utime_sleep_us_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ticks_ms), (mp_obj_t)&mp_utime_ticks_ms_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ticks_us), (mp_obj_t)&mp_utime_ticks_us_obj },
-    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ticks_cpu), (mp_obj_t)&time_ticks_cpu_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ticks_cpu), (mp_obj_t)&mp_utime_ticks_cpu_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ticks_diff), (mp_obj_t)&mp_utime_ticks_diff_obj },
 };
 
diff --git a/stmhal/mphalport.c b/stmhal/mphalport.c
index f392550b80..3bf993ec25 100644
--- a/stmhal/mphalport.c
+++ b/stmhal/mphalport.c
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #include "usb.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+bool mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enabled = false;
+
 // this table converts from HAL_StatusTypeDef to POSIX errno
 const byte mp_hal_status_to_errno_table[4] = {
     [HAL_OK] = 0,
@@ -71,6 +73,15 @@ void mp_hal_stdout_tx_strn_cooked(const char *str, size_t len) {
     }
 }
 
+void mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enable(void) {
+    if (!mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enabled) {
+        CoreDebug->DEMCR |= CoreDebug_DEMCR_TRCENA_Msk;
+        DWT->CYCCNT = 0;
+        DWT->CTRL |= DWT_CTRL_CYCCNTENA_Msk;
+        mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enabled = true;
+    }
+}
+
 void mp_hal_gpio_clock_enable(GPIO_TypeDef *gpio) {
     if (0) {
     #ifdef __GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE
diff --git a/stmhal/mphalport.h b/stmhal/mphalport.h
index 02b408777c..40e6fb2b48 100644
--- a/stmhal/mphalport.h
+++ b/stmhal/mphalport.h
@@ -35,13 +35,24 @@ NORETURN void mp_hal_raise(HAL_StatusTypeDef status);
 void mp_hal_set_interrupt_char(int c); // -1 to disable
 
 // timing functions
+
 #include "stmhal/systick.h"
+
 #define mp_hal_delay_ms HAL_Delay
 #define mp_hal_delay_us(us) sys_tick_udelay(us)
 #define mp_hal_delay_us_fast(us) sys_tick_udelay(us)
 #define mp_hal_ticks_ms HAL_GetTick
 #define mp_hal_ticks_us() sys_tick_get_microseconds()
 
+extern bool mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enabled;
+void mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enable(void);
+static inline mp_uint_t mp_hal_ticks_cpu(void) {
+    if (!mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enabled) {
+        mp_hal_ticks_cpu_enable();
+    }
+    return DWT->CYCCNT;
+}
+
 // C-level pin HAL
 #include "stmhal/pin.h"
 #define mp_hal_pin_obj_t const pin_obj_t*