diff --git a/src/core/random.c b/src/core/random.c
index 975a03cf5..e3251964b 100644
--- a/src/core/random.c
+++ b/src/core/random.c
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 
 FILE_LICENCE ( GPL2_OR_LATER_OR_UBDL );
 
+#include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include <ipxe/timer.h>
+#include <time.h>
 
 static int32_t rnd_seed = 0;
 
@@ -30,8 +31,9 @@ void srandom ( unsigned int seed ) {
 long int random ( void ) {
 	int32_t q;
 
-	if ( ! rnd_seed ) /* Initialize linear congruential generator */
-		srandom ( currticks() );
+	/* Initialize linear congruential generator */
+	if ( ! rnd_seed )
+		srandom ( time ( NULL ) );
 
 	/* simplified version of the LCG given in Bruce Schneier's
 	   "Applied Cryptography" */