diff --git a/bacnet-stack/ports/atmega168/timer.c b/bacnet-stack/ports/atmega168/timer.c
index 40c60b12..5a7b0d7e 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/ports/atmega168/timer.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/ports/atmega168/timer.c
@@ -88,12 +88,10 @@ uint16_t Timer_Silence(
     void)
 {
     uint16_t timer;
-    uint8_t sreg;
 
-    sreg = SREG;
-    __disable_interrupt();
+    BIT_CLEAR(TIMSK0, TOIE0);
     timer = SilenceTime;
-    SREG = sreg;
+    BIT_SET(TIMSK0, TOIE0);
 
     return timer;
 }
@@ -102,10 +100,7 @@ uint16_t Timer_Silence(
 void Timer_Silence_Reset(
     void)
 {
-    uint8_t sreg;
-
-    sreg = SREG;
-    __disable_interrupt();
+    BIT_CLEAR(TIMSK0, TOIE0);
     SilenceTime = 0;
-    SREG = sreg;
+    BIT_SET(TIMSK0, TOIE0);
 }
diff --git a/bacnet-stack/ports/bdk-atxx4-mstp/timer2.c b/bacnet-stack/ports/bdk-atxx4-mstp/timer2.c
index 13b2e613..d497ec1e 100644
--- a/bacnet-stack/ports/bdk-atxx4-mstp/timer2.c
+++ b/bacnet-stack/ports/bdk-atxx4-mstp/timer2.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 
 /* counter for the the timer which wraps every 49.7 days */
 static volatile uint32_t Millisecond_Counter;
+static volatile uint8_t Millisecond_Counter_Byte;
 /* forward prototype */
 ISR(TIMER2_OVF_vect);
 
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ static inline void timer_interrupt_handler(void)
     /* Set the counter for the next interrupt */
     TCNT2 = TIMER2_COUNT;
     Millisecond_Counter++;
+    Millisecond_Counter_Byte++;
 }
 
 /*************************************************************************
@@ -102,6 +104,17 @@ uint32_t timer_milliseconds(
     return timer_value;
 }
 
+/*************************************************************************
+* Description: returns the current millisecond count
+* Returns: none
+* Notes: This method only disables the timer overflow interrupt.
+*************************************************************************/
+uint8_t timer_milliseconds_byte(
+    void)
+{
+    return Millisecond_Counter;
+}
+
 /*************************************************************************
 * Description: Initialization for Timer
 * Returns: none