3 files changed, 10 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/cpp/include/qpid/sys/Time.h b/cpp/include/qpid/sys/Time.h
index ad05b0d1c7..bd6fe87ec8 100644
--- a/cpp/include/qpid/sys/Time.h
+++ b/cpp/include/qpid/sys/Time.h
@@ -88,13 +88,16 @@ class AbsTime {
     TimePrivate timepoint;
 
 public:
-    QPID_COMMON_EXTERN inline AbsTime() {}
+
+    QPID_COMMON_EXTERN inline AbsTime() : timepoint() {}
     QPID_COMMON_EXTERN AbsTime(const AbsTime& time0, const Duration& duration);
     // Default assignment operation fine
     // Default copy constructor fine
 
     QPID_COMMON_EXTERN static AbsTime now();
     QPID_COMMON_EXTERN static AbsTime FarFuture();
+    QPID_COMMON_EXTERN static AbsTime epoch(); // The Unix epoch: 1970-01-01T00:00:00
+
     const TimePrivate& getPrivate(void) const { return timepoint; }
     bool operator==(const AbsTime& t) const { return t.timepoint == timepoint; }
     template <class S> void serialize(S& s) { s(timepoint); }
diff --git a/cpp/src/qpid/sys/posix/Time.cpp b/cpp/src/qpid/sys/posix/Time.cpp
index 0734abd1df..5e8f1aca0f 100644
--- a/cpp/src/qpid/sys/posix/Time.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/qpid/sys/posix/Time.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ AbsTime AbsTime::now() {
     return time_now;
 }
 
+AbsTime AbsTime::epoch() { return AbsTime(); }
+
 Duration::Duration(const AbsTime& time0) :
     nanosecs(time0.timepoint)
 {}
diff --git a/cpp/src/qpid/sys/windows/Time.cpp b/cpp/src/qpid/sys/windows/Time.cpp
index 1d7b94e8d7..6b43347ef8 100644
--- a/cpp/src/qpid/sys/windows/Time.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/qpid/sys/windows/Time.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ AbsTime AbsTime::now() {
     return time_now;
 }
 
+AbsTime AbsTime::epoch() {
+    return AbsTime(boost::posix_time::from_time_t(0));
+}
+
 Duration::Duration(const AbsTime& time0) : nanosecs(0) {
     time_period p(ptime(min_date_time), time0.timepoint);
     nanosecs = p.length().total_nanoseconds();