diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index f63757ae6..453406d12 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 #define _STRINGIFY(a) #a
 #define STRINGIFY(a) _STRINGIFY(a)
 
+/* time constants */
+#define MS_IN_S     1000llu
+
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLER__
 
 #define NULL ((void *)0)
diff --git a/src/plat/spike/machine/hardware.c b/src/plat/spike/machine/hardware.c
index 5f7293d2b..b1913abcf 100644
--- a/src/plat/spike/machine/hardware.c
+++ b/src/plat/spike/machine/hardware.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <types.h>
+#include <util.h>
 #include <machine/io.h>
 #include <kernel/vspace.h>
 #include <arch/machine.h>
@@ -29,7 +30,6 @@
 
 #define MAX_AVAIL_P_REGS 2
 
-#define MS_IN_S     1000llu
 #define RESET_CYCLES ((CONFIG_SPIKE_CLOCK_FREQ / MS_IN_S) * CONFIG_TIMER_TICK_MS)
 
 /* Available physical memory regions on platform (RAM minus kernel image). */