diff --git a/mx_util.c b/mx_util.c
index a159067..14741ba 100644
--- a/mx_util.c
+++ b/mx_util.c
@@ -594,3 +594,16 @@ int mx_open_newfile(char *fname)
 
     return fh;
 }
+
+int mx_sleep(unsigned int seconds)
+{
+    if (seconds)
+        return sleep(seconds);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int mx_sleep_nofail(unsigned int seconds)
+{
+    mx_sleep(seconds);
+    return 1;
+}
diff --git a/mx_util.h b/mx_util.h
index f00e645..dbc50e5 100644
--- a/mx_util.h
+++ b/mx_util.h
@@ -43,4 +43,7 @@ int mx_setenvf_forever(const char *name, char *fmt, ...) __attribute__ ((format(
 
 int mx_open_newfile(char *fname);
 
+int mx_sleep(unsigned int seconds);
+int mx_sleep_nofail(unsigned int seconds);
+
 #endif