diff --git a/cpu-exec.c b/cpu-exec.c
index 38e5f02a30..68f82b631b 100644
--- a/cpu-exec.c
+++ b/cpu-exec.c
@@ -22,6 +22,72 @@
 #include "tcg.h"
 #include "qemu/atomic.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
+#include "qemu/timer.h"
+
+/* -icount align implementation. */
+
+typedef struct SyncClocks {
+    int64_t diff_clk;
+    int64_t last_cpu_icount;
+} SyncClocks;
+
+#if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
+/* Allow the guest to have a max 3ms advance.
+ * The difference between the 2 clocks could therefore
+ * oscillate around 0.
+ */
+#define VM_CLOCK_ADVANCE 3000000
+
+static void align_clocks(SyncClocks *sc, const CPUState *cpu)
+{
+    int64_t cpu_icount;
+
+    if (!icount_align_option) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    cpu_icount = cpu->icount_extra + cpu->icount_decr.u16.low;
+    sc->diff_clk += cpu_icount_to_ns(sc->last_cpu_icount - cpu_icount);
+    sc->last_cpu_icount = cpu_icount;
+
+    if (sc->diff_clk > VM_CLOCK_ADVANCE) {
+#ifndef _WIN32
+        struct timespec sleep_delay, rem_delay;
+        sleep_delay.tv_sec = sc->diff_clk / 1000000000LL;
+        sleep_delay.tv_nsec = sc->diff_clk % 1000000000LL;
+        if (nanosleep(&sleep_delay, &rem_delay) < 0) {
+            sc->diff_clk -= (sleep_delay.tv_sec - rem_delay.tv_sec) * 1000000000LL;
+            sc->diff_clk -= sleep_delay.tv_nsec - rem_delay.tv_nsec;
+        } else {
+            sc->diff_clk = 0;
+        }
+#else
+        Sleep(sc->diff_clk / SCALE_MS);
+        sc->diff_clk = 0;
+#endif
+    }
+}
+
+static void init_delay_params(SyncClocks *sc,
+                              const CPUState *cpu)
+{
+    if (!icount_align_option) {
+        return;
+    }
+    sc->diff_clk = qemu_clock_get_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_VIRTUAL) -
+                   qemu_clock_get_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME) +
+                   cpu_get_clock_offset();
+    sc->last_cpu_icount = cpu->icount_extra + cpu->icount_decr.u16.low;
+}
+#else
+static void align_clocks(SyncClocks *sc, const CPUState *cpu)
+{
+}
+
+static void init_delay_params(SyncClocks *sc, const CPUState *cpu)
+{
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG USER ONLY */
 
 void cpu_loop_exit(CPUState *cpu)
 {
@@ -227,6 +293,8 @@ int cpu_exec(CPUArchState *env)
     TranslationBlock *tb;
     uint8_t *tc_ptr;
     uintptr_t next_tb;
+    SyncClocks sc;
+
     /* This must be volatile so it is not trashed by longjmp() */
     volatile bool have_tb_lock = false;
 
@@ -283,6 +351,13 @@ int cpu_exec(CPUArchState *env)
 #endif
     cpu->exception_index = -1;
 
+    /* Calculate difference between guest clock and host clock.
+     * This delay includes the delay of the last cycle, so
+     * what we have to do is sleep until it is 0. As for the
+     * advance/delay we gain here, we try to fix it next time.
+     */
+    init_delay_params(&sc, cpu);
+
     /* prepare setjmp context for exception handling */
     for(;;) {
         if (sigsetjmp(cpu->jmp_env, 0) == 0) {
@@ -672,6 +747,7 @@ int cpu_exec(CPUArchState *env)
                             if (insns_left > 0) {
                                 /* Execute remaining instructions.  */
                                 cpu_exec_nocache(env, insns_left, tb);
+                                align_clocks(&sc, cpu);
                             }
                             cpu->exception_index = EXCP_INTERRUPT;
                             next_tb = 0;
@@ -684,6 +760,9 @@ int cpu_exec(CPUArchState *env)
                     }
                 }
                 cpu->current_tb = NULL;
+                /* Try to align the host and virtual clocks
+                   if the guest is in advance */
+                align_clocks(&sc, cpu);
                 /* reset soft MMU for next block (it can currently
                    only be set by a memory fault) */
             } /* for(;;) */
diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 7e09538799..19245e99b9 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -219,6 +219,23 @@ int64_t cpu_get_clock(void)
     return ti;
 }
 
+/* return the offset between the host clock and virtual CPU clock */
+int64_t cpu_get_clock_offset(void)
+{
+    int64_t ti;
+    unsigned start;
+
+    do {
+        start = seqlock_read_begin(&timers_state.vm_clock_seqlock);
+        ti = timers_state.cpu_clock_offset;
+        if (!timers_state.cpu_ticks_enabled) {
+            ti -= get_clock();
+        }
+    } while (seqlock_read_retry(&timers_state.vm_clock_seqlock, start));
+
+    return -ti;
+}
+
 /* enable cpu_get_ticks()
  * Caller must hold BQL which server as mutex for vm_clock_seqlock.
  */
diff --git a/include/qemu/timer.h b/include/qemu/timer.h
index e12c7149e1..5f5210d543 100644
--- a/include/qemu/timer.h
+++ b/include/qemu/timer.h
@@ -745,6 +745,7 @@ static inline int64_t get_clock(void)
 /* icount */
 int64_t cpu_get_icount(void);
 int64_t cpu_get_clock(void);
+int64_t cpu_get_clock_offset(void);
 int64_t cpu_icount_to_ns(int64_t icount);
 
 /*******************************************/