diff --git a/include/nanokernel.h b/include/nanokernel.h
index 3813caa1846..c3b753cb262 100644
--- a/include/nanokernel.h
+++ b/include/nanokernel.h
@@ -125,6 +125,23 @@ extern nano_context_type_t sys_execution_context_type_get(void);
 
 extern int _is_thread_essential(nano_thread_id_t pCtx);
 
+/**
+ *
+ * @brief Busy wait the currently executing thread
+ *
+ * This routine causes the current task or fiber to execute a "do nothing"
+ * loop for a specified period of time.
+ *
+ * @warning This routine utilizes the system clock, so it must not be invoked
+ *          until the system clock is fully operational or while interrupts
+ *          are locked.
+ *
+ * @param usec_to_wait Number of microseconds to busy wait.
+ *
+ * @return N/A
+ */
+extern void sys_thread_busy_wait(uint32_t usec_to_wait);
+
 /**
  * @brief Nanokernel Fibers
  * @defgroup nanokernel_fiber Nanokernel Fibers
diff --git a/kernel/nanokernel/nano_context.c b/kernel/nanokernel/nano_context.c
index 88f1a09db83..e623b8d4f5b 100644
--- a/kernel/nanokernel/nano_context.c
+++ b/kernel/nanokernel/nano_context.c
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ tasks or fibers.
 
 #include <nano_private.h>
 #include <misc/printk.h>
+#include <sys_clock.h>
+#include <drivers/system_timer.h>
 
 
 nano_thread_id_t sys_thread_self_get(void)
@@ -105,6 +107,37 @@ int _is_thread_essential(struct tcs *pCtx /* pointer to thread */
 	return ((pCtx == NULL) ? _nanokernel.current : pCtx)->flags & ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Don't build sys_thread_busy_wait() for ARM, since intrinsics libraries in
+ * current Zephyr SDK use non-Thumb code that isn't supported on Cortex-M CPUs.
+ * For the time being any ARM-based application that attempts to use this API
+ * will get a link error (which is preferable to a mysterious exception).
+ */
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_ARM
+
+void sys_thread_busy_wait(uint32_t usec_to_wait)
+{
+	/* use 64-bit math to prevent overflow when multiplying */
+	uint32_t cycles_to_wait = (uint32_t)(
+		(uint64_t)usec_to_wait *
+		(uint64_t)sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_sec /
+		(uint64_t)USEC_PER_SEC
+	);
+	uint32_t start_cycles = _sys_clock_cycle_get();
+
+	for (;;) {
+		uint32_t current_cycles = _sys_clock_cycle_get();
+
+		/* this handles the rollover on an unsigned 32-bit value */
+		if ((current_cycles - start_cycles) >= cycles_to_wait) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#endif /* CONFIG_ARM */
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_THREAD_CUSTOM_DATA
 
 /**