diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
index e0c0248b1..e71e7b3bb 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ struct retry_timer {
 };
 
 extern void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
+extern void start_timer_nodelay ( struct retry_timer *timer );
 extern void stop_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/net/retry.c b/src/net/retry.c
index 6734968f5..0f711e6d1 100644
--- a/src/net/retry.c
+++ b/src/net/retry.c
@@ -73,6 +73,18 @@ void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
 	       timer, timer->start, ( timer->start + timer->timeout ) );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Start timer with no delay
+ *
+ * @v timer		Retry timer
+ *
+ * This starts the timer running with a zero timeout value.
+ */
+void start_timer_nodelay ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
+	start_timer ( timer );
+	timer->timeout = 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Stop timer
  *