diff --git a/sys/include/vtimer.h b/sys/include/vtimer.h
index 27e705b113..18e8228b7a 100644
--- a/sys/include/vtimer.h
+++ b/sys/include/vtimer.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #ifndef __VTIMER_H
 #define __VTIMER_H
 
+#include <time.h>
+
 #include "queue.h"
 #include "timex.h"
 #include "msg.h"
@@ -45,6 +47,12 @@ typedef struct vtimer_t {
  */
 void vtimer_now(timex_t *out);
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Returns the current time in broken down format
+ * @param[out]  localt      Pointer to structure to receive time
+ */
+void vtimer_get_localtime(struct tm *localt);
+
 /**
  * @brief   Initializes the vtimer subsystem. To be called once at system initialization. Will be initialized by auto_init.
  *
diff --git a/sys/vtimer/vtimer.c b/sys/vtimer/vtimer.c
index 9236974a54..8f9ee695b2 100644
--- a/sys/vtimer/vtimer.c
+++ b/sys/vtimer/vtimer.c
@@ -261,6 +261,18 @@ void vtimer_now(timex_t *out)
     out->microseconds = us % (1000 * 1000);
 }
 
+void vtimer_get_localtime(struct tm *localt)
+{
+    timex_t now;
+    vtimer_now(&now);
+
+    localt->tm_sec = now.seconds % 60;
+    localt->tm_min = (now.seconds / 60) % 60;
+    localt->tm_hour = (now.seconds / 60 / 60) % 24;
+
+    // TODO: fill the other fields
+}
+
 int vtimer_init()
 {
     DEBUG("vtimer_init().\n");