diff --git a/src/sim/core.cc b/src/sim/core.cc
index 8b3624582e..ace699a3c3 100644
--- a/src/sim/core.cc
+++ b/src/sim/core.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@
 
 using namespace std;
 
+namespace Gem5Internal
+{
+
+__thread Tick *_curTickPtr;
+
+} // namespace Gem5Internal
+
 namespace SimClock {
 /// The simulated frequency of curTick(). (In ticks per second)
 Tick Frequency;
diff --git a/src/sim/core.hh b/src/sim/core.hh
index 2e443e76ed..c5920490d7 100644
--- a/src/sim/core.hh
+++ b/src/sim/core.hh
@@ -39,10 +39,17 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include "base/types.hh"
-#include "sim/eventq.hh"
+
+namespace Gem5Internal
+{
+
+// This pointer is maintained by curEventQueue in src/sim/eventq.hh.
+extern __thread Tick *_curTickPtr;
+
+} // namespace Gem5Internal
 
 /// The universal simulation clock.
-inline Tick curTick() { return _curEventQueue->getCurTick(); }
+inline Tick curTick() { return *Gem5Internal::_curTickPtr; }
 
 /// These are variables that are set based on the simulator frequency
 ///@{
diff --git a/src/sim/eventq.hh b/src/sim/eventq.hh
index 45a5ab8d75..5fb0877746 100644
--- a/src/sim/eventq.hh
+++ b/src/sim/eventq.hh
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 #include "base/types.hh"
 #include "base/uncontended_mutex.hh"
 #include "debug/Event.hh"
+#include "sim/core.hh"
 #include "sim/serialize.hh"
 
 class EventQueue;       // forward declaration
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ extern bool inParallelMode;
 EventQueue *getEventQueue(uint32_t index);
 
 inline EventQueue *curEventQueue() { return _curEventQueue; }
-inline void curEventQueue(EventQueue *q) { _curEventQueue = q; }
+inline void curEventQueue(EventQueue *q);
 
 /**
  * Common base class for Event and GlobalEvent, so they can share flag
@@ -617,6 +618,8 @@ operator!=(const Event &l, const Event &r)
 class EventQueue
 {
   private:
+    friend void curEventQueue(EventQueue *);
+
     std::string objName;
     Event *head;
     Tick _curTick;
@@ -968,6 +971,13 @@ class EventQueue
     }
 };
 
+inline void
+curEventQueue(EventQueue *q)
+{
+    _curEventQueue = q;
+    Gem5Internal::_curTickPtr = (q == nullptr) ? nullptr : &q->_curTick;
+}
+
 void dumpMainQueue();
 
 class EventManager