diff --git a/library/include/modules/EventManager.h b/library/include/modules/EventManager.h
index 1a6f15245..c1c09da7d 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/EventManager.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/EventManager.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace DFHack {
         };
         
         DFHACK_EXPORT void registerListener(EventType::EventType e, EventHandler handler, Plugin* plugin);
-        DFHACK_EXPORT void registerTick(EventHandler handler, int32_t when, Plugin* plugin);
+        DFHACK_EXPORT void registerTick(EventHandler handler, int32_t when, Plugin* plugin, bool absolute=false);
         DFHACK_EXPORT void unregister(EventType::EventType e, EventHandler handler, Plugin* plugin);
         DFHACK_EXPORT void unregisterAll(Plugin* plugin);
         void manageEvents(color_ostream& out);
diff --git a/library/modules/EventManager.cpp b/library/modules/EventManager.cpp
index 63455b664..553a69668 100644
--- a/library/modules/EventManager.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/EventManager.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "Core.h"
+#include "Console.h"
 #include "modules/EventManager.h"
 #include "modules/Job.h"
 #include "modules/World.h"
@@ -33,11 +34,17 @@ void DFHack::EventManager::registerListener(EventType::EventType e, EventHandler
     handlers[e].insert(pair<Plugin*, EventHandler>(plugin, handler));
 }
 
-void DFHack::EventManager::registerTick(EventHandler handler, int32_t when, Plugin* plugin) {
+void DFHack::EventManager::registerTick(EventHandler handler, int32_t when, Plugin* plugin, bool absolute) {
     uint32_t tick = DFHack::World::ReadCurrentYear()*ticksPerYear
         + DFHack::World::ReadCurrentTick();
     if ( !Core::getInstance().isWorldLoaded() ) {
         tick = 0;
+        if ( absolute ) {
+            Core::getInstance().getConsole().print("Warning: absolute flag will not be honored.\n");
+        }
+    }
+    if ( absolute ) {
+        tick = 0;
     }
     
     tickQueue.insert(pair<uint32_t, EventHandler>(tick+(uint32_t)when, handler));