diff --git a/gtsam/base/timing.cpp b/gtsam/base/timing.cpp
index edb436822..ba784ffab 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/timing.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/base/timing.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@
 boost::shared_ptr<TimingOutline> timingRoot(new TimingOutline("Total"));
 boost::weak_ptr<TimingOutline> timingCurrent(timingRoot);
 
-//Timing timing;
+#ifdef ENABLE_OLD_TIMING
+Timing timing;
+#endif
 std::string timingPrefix;
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
@@ -150,15 +152,27 @@ const boost::shared_ptr<TimingOutline>& TimingOutline::child(size_t child, const
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 void TimingOutline::tic() {
+#ifdef GTSAM_USING_NEW_BOOST_TIMERS
 	assert(timer_.is_stopped());
   timer_.start();
+#else
+	assert(!timerActive_);
+  timer_.restart();
+  *timerActive_ = true;
+#endif
 }
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 void TimingOutline::toc() {
+#ifdef GTSAM_USING_NEW_BOOST_TIMERS
 	assert(!timer_.is_stopped());
   timer_.stop();
 	add((timer_.elapsed().user + timer_.elapsed().system) / 1000);
+#else
+  assert(timerActive_);
+  double elapsed = timer_.elapsed();
+  add(size_t(elapsed * 1000000.0));
+#endif
 }
 
 /* ************************************************************************* */
diff --git a/gtsam/base/timing.h b/gtsam/base/timing.h
index e09e3bb14..09d0a0da0 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/timing.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/timing.h
@@ -22,7 +22,17 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <boost/weak_ptr.hpp>
+#include <gtsam/base/types.h>
+
+#if BOOST_VERSION >= 104800
+#define GTSAM_USING_NEW_BOOST_TIMERS
+#endif
+
+#ifdef GTSAM_USING_NEW_BOOST_TIMERS
 #include <boost/timer/timer.hpp>
+#else
+#include <boost/timer.hpp>
+#endif
 
 class TimingOutline;
 extern boost::shared_ptr<TimingOutline> timingRoot;
@@ -40,7 +50,12 @@ protected:
 
   boost::weak_ptr<TimingOutline> parent_;
   std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<TimingOutline> > children_;
+#ifdef GTSAM_USING_NEW_BOOST_TIMERS
   boost::timer::cpu_timer timer_;
+#else
+  boost::timer timer_;
+  gtsam::ValueWithDefault<bool,false> timerActive_;
+#endif
 
   void add(size_t usecs);