diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
index e71e7b3b..71982fca 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
@@ -35,9 +35,21 @@ struct retry_timer {
 };
 
 extern void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
-extern void start_timer_nodelay ( struct retry_timer *timer );
+extern void start_timer_fixed ( struct retry_timer *timer,
+				unsigned long timeout );
 extern void stop_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
 
+/**
+ * Start timer with no delay
+ *
+ * @v timer		Retry timer
+ *
+ * This starts the timer running with a zero timeout value.
+ */
+static inline void start_timer_nodelay ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
+	start_timer_fixed ( timer, 0 );
+}
+
 /**
  * Test to see if timer is currently running
  *
diff --git a/src/net/retry.c b/src/net/retry.c
index 90b89711..3c934018 100644
--- a/src/net/retry.c
+++ b/src/net/retry.c
@@ -74,15 +74,14 @@ void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Start timer with no delay
+ * Start timer with a specified fixed timeout
  *
  * @v timer		Retry timer
- *
- * This starts the timer running with a zero timeout value.
+ * @v timeout		Timeout, in ticks
  */
-void start_timer_nodelay ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
+void start_timer_fixed ( struct retry_timer *timer, unsigned long timeout ) {
 	start_timer ( timer );
-	timer->timeout = 0;
+	timer->timeout = timeout;
 }
 
 /**