diff --git a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
index d41f779de..52e7474ca 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/linuxutl.c
@@ -42,16 +42,16 @@
 static void
 debugf( const char* format, va_list ap )
 {
-    struct timeval tv;
-    struct timezone tz;
-    gettimeofday( &tv, &tz );
+    struct timespec tp = {0};
+    int res = clock_gettime( CLOCK_REALTIME, &tp );
+    XP_ASSERT( 0 == res );
+    struct tm* timp = localtime( &tp.tv_sec );
 
-    struct tm* timp = localtime( &tv.tv_sec );
+    fprintf( stderr, "<%d:%lx> %.2d:%.2d:%.2d:%03ld ", getpid(),
+             pthread_self(), timp->tm_hour, timp->tm_min, timp->tm_sec,
+             tp.tv_nsec / 1000000 );
 
-    fprintf( stderr, "<%d:%lx>%.2d:%.2d:%.2d:", getpid(),
-             pthread_self(), timp->tm_hour, timp->tm_min, timp->tm_sec );
-
-    vfprintf(stderr, format, ap );
+    vfprintf( stderr, format, ap );
     fprintf( stderr, "%c", '\n' );
 }