diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c b/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
index 73c83a51..3df35d03 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ int sys_times(struct tms* buffer, clock_t* clock)
 static void timer_handler(struct state *s)
 {
 	/* Increment our 'tick counter' */
+#if MAX_CORES > 1
+	if (smp_id() == 0)
+		timer_ticks++;
+#else
 	timer_ticks++;
+#endif
 
 	/* 
          * Every TIMER_FREQ clocks (approximately 1 second), we will