diff --git a/include/common/time.h b/include/common/time.h
index 1546921e98..36c5ca5a2b 100644
--- a/include/common/time.h
+++ b/include/common/time.h
@@ -47,11 +47,18 @@ REGPRM3 struct timeval *tv_delayfrom(struct timeval *tv, const struct timeval *f
  */
 REGPRM2 int tv_cmp_ms(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2);
 
+/*
+ * compares <tv1> and <tv2> : returns 0 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 >= tv2,
+ * considering that 0 is the eternity.
+ */
+REGPRM2 int tv_cmp_ge2(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2);
+
 /*
  * compares <tv1> and <tv2> : returns 0 if equal, -1 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 > tv2,
  * considering that 0 is the eternity.
  */
 REGPRM2 int tv_cmp2(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2);
+
 /*
  * compares <tv1> and <tv2> modulo 1 ms: returns 0 if equal, -1 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 > tv2,
  * considering that 0 is the eternity.
@@ -92,6 +99,20 @@ REGPRM2 static inline int tv_cmp(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval
 		return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * compares <tv1> and <tv2> : returns 0 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 >= tv2
+ */
+REGPRM2 static inline int tv_cmp_ge(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2)
+{
+	if (tv1->tv_sec > tv2->tv_sec)
+		return 1;
+	if (tv1->tv_sec < tv2->tv_sec)
+		return 0;
+	if (tv1->tv_usec >= tv2->tv_usec)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * returns the difference, in ms, between tv1 and tv2
  * Must not be used when either argument is eternity.
@@ -144,7 +165,7 @@ REGPRM1 static inline struct timeval *tv_eternity(struct timeval *tv)
  */
 REGPRM1 static inline int tv_iseternity(const struct timeval *tv)
 {
-	if (tv->tv_sec == 0 && tv->tv_usec == 0)
+	if ((tv->tv_sec | tv->tv_usec) == 0)
 		return 1;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/task.c b/src/task.c
index b49bc74d5c..ca262d634e 100644
--- a/src/task.c
+++ b/src/task.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ static inline void __rb_insert_task_queue(struct task *newtask)
 	{
 		parent = *p;
 		task = rb_entry(parent, struct task, rb_node);
-		if (tv_cmp2(&task->expire, &newtask->expire) >= 0)
+		if (tv_cmp_ge2(&task->expire, &newtask->expire))
 			p = &(*p)->rb_left;
 		else
 			p = &(*p)->rb_right;
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ struct task *task_queue(struct task *task)
 		node = rb_prev(&task->rb_node);
 		if (node) {
 			prev = rb_entry(node, struct task, rb_node);
-			if (tv_cmp2(&prev->expire, &task->expire) >= 0) {
+			if (tv_cmp_ge(&prev->expire, &task->expire)) {
 				task_delete(task);
 				task->wq = &wait_queue[0];
 				rb_insert_task_queue(task);
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ struct task *task_queue(struct task *task)
 		node = rb_next(&task->rb_node);
 		if (node) {
 			next = rb_entry(node, struct task, rb_node);
-			if (tv_cmp2(&task->expire, &next->expire) > 0) {
+			if (tv_cmp_ge(&task->expire, &next->expire)) {
 				task_delete(task);
 				task->wq = &wait_queue[0];
 				rb_insert_task_queue(task);
diff --git a/src/time.c b/src/time.c
index 75f385ef81..1c5732f3eb 100644
--- a/src/time.c
+++ b/src/time.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 
 #include <common/config.h>
+#include <common/standard.h>
 #include <common/time.h>
 
 struct timeval now;             /* the current date at any moment */
@@ -58,18 +59,38 @@ REGPRM2 int tv_cmp_ms(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2)
 		return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * compares <tv1> and <tv2> : returns 0 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 >= tv2,
+ * considering that 0 is the eternity.
+ */
+REGPRM2 int tv_cmp_ge2(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2)
+{
+	if (unlikely(tv_iseternity(tv1)))
+		return 1;
+	if (unlikely(tv_iseternity(tv2)))
+		return 0; /* same */
+
+	if (tv1->tv_sec > tv2->tv_sec)
+		return 1;
+	if (tv1->tv_sec < tv2->tv_sec)
+		return 0;
+	if (tv1->tv_usec >= tv2->tv_usec)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * compares <tv1> and <tv2> : returns 0 if equal, -1 if tv1 < tv2, 1 if tv1 > tv2,
  * considering that 0 is the eternity.
  */
 REGPRM2 int tv_cmp2(const struct timeval *tv1, const struct timeval *tv2)
 {
-	if (tv_iseternity(tv1))
-		if (tv_iseternity(tv2))
+	if (unlikely(tv_iseternity(tv1)))
+		if (unlikely(tv_iseternity(tv2)))
 			return 0; /* same */
 		else
 			return 1; /* tv1 later than tv2 */
-	else if (tv_iseternity(tv2))
+	else if (likely(tv_iseternity(tv2)))
 		return -1; /* tv2 later than tv1 */
     
 	if (tv1->tv_sec > tv2->tv_sec)