diff --git a/board/BuS/EB+MCF-EV123/flash.c b/board/BuS/EB+MCF-EV123/flash.c
index 3c36367..8b7f957 100644
--- a/board/BuS/EB+MCF-EV123/flash.c
+++ b/board/BuS/EB+MCF-EV123/flash.c
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
 {
 	int state;
 	ulong result;
+	ulong start;
 
 	volatile u16 *addr =
 				(volatile u16 *) (info->start[sector]);
@@ -171,13 +172,13 @@
 
 	/* wait until flash is ready */
 	state = 0;
-	set_timer (0);
+	start = get_timer(0);
 
 	do {
 		result = *addr;
 
 		/* check timeout */
-		if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
+		if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
 			MEM_FLASH_ADDR1 = CMD_READ_ARRAY;
 			state = ERR_TIMOUT;
 		}
@@ -267,6 +268,7 @@
 	ulong result;
 	int cflag, iflag;
 	int state;
+	ulong start;
 
 	/*
 	 * Check if Flash is (sufficiently) erased
@@ -295,7 +297,7 @@
 	*addr = data;
 
 	/* arm simple, non interrupt dependent timer */
-	set_timer (0);
+	start = get_timer(0);
 
 	/* wait until flash is ready */
 	state = 0;
@@ -303,7 +305,7 @@
 		result = *addr;
 
 		/* check timeout */
-		if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
+		if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
 				state = ERR_TIMOUT;
 		}
 		if (!state && ((result & BIT_RDY_MASK) == (data & BIT_RDY_MASK)))
diff --git a/board/cobra5272/flash.c b/board/cobra5272/flash.c
index 33c9361..e8f02eb 100644
--- a/board/cobra5272/flash.c
+++ b/board/cobra5272/flash.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
 	int iflag, cflag, prot, sect;
 	int rc = ERR_OK;
 	int chip1;
+	ulong start;
 
 	/* first look for protection bits */
 
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@
 		printf ("Erasing sector %2d ... ", sect);
 
 		/* arm simple, non interrupt dependent timer */
-		set_timer (0);
+		start = get_timer(0);
 
 		if (info->protect[sect] == 0) {	/* not protected */
 			volatile u16 *addr =
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@
 				result = *addr;
 
 				/* check timeout */
-				if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
+				if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
 					MEM_FLASH_ADDR1 = CMD_READ_ARRAY;
 					chip1 = TMO;
 					break;
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@
 	int rc = ERR_OK;
 	int cflag, iflag;
 	int chip1;
+	ulong start;
 
 	/*
 	 * Check if Flash is (sufficiently) erased
@@ -291,7 +293,7 @@
 	*addr = data;
 
 	/* arm simple, non interrupt dependent timer */
-	set_timer (0);
+	start = get_timer(0);
 
 	/* wait until flash is ready */
 	chip1 = 0;
@@ -299,7 +301,7 @@
 		result = *addr;
 
 		/* check timeout */
-		if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
+		if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT) {
 			chip1 = ERR | TMO;
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/board/idmr/flash.c b/board/idmr/flash.c
index 57c9948..9f4ff2b 100644
--- a/board/idmr/flash.c
+++ b/board/idmr/flash.c
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@
 	int iflag, prot, sect;
 	int rc = ERR_OK;
 	int chip1;
+	ulong start;
 
 	/* first look for protection bits */
 
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@
 		printf ("Erasing sector %2d ... ", sect);
 
 		/* arm simple, non interrupt dependent timer */
-		set_timer (0);
+		start = get_timer(0);
 
 		if (info->protect[sect] == 0) {	/* not protected */
 			volatile u16 *addr =
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@
 				result = *addr;
 
 				/* check timeout */
-				if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT * CONFIG_SYS_HZ / 1000) {
+				if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT * CONFIG_SYS_HZ / 1000) {
 					MEM_FLASH_ADDR1 = CMD_READ_ARRAY;
 					chip1 = TMO;
 					break;
@@ -248,6 +249,7 @@
 	int rc = ERR_OK;
 	int iflag;
 	int chip1;
+	ulong start;
 
 	/*
 	 * Check if Flash is (sufficiently) erased
@@ -272,7 +274,7 @@
 	*addr = data;
 
 	/* arm simple, non interrupt dependent timer */
-	set_timer (0);
+	start = get_timer(0);
 
 	/* wait until flash is ready */
 	chip1 = 0;
@@ -280,7 +282,7 @@
 		result = *addr;
 
 		/* check timeout */
-		if (get_timer (0) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT * CONFIG_SYS_HZ / 1000) {
+		if (get_timer(start) > CONFIG_SYS_FLASH_ERASE_TOUT * CONFIG_SYS_HZ / 1000) {
 			chip1 = ERR | TMO;
 			break;
 		}