diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 64a95d361..c18ac5bc9 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ Bugfix
    * Fix incorrect unit in benchmark output. #850
    * Fix crash when calling mbedtls_ssl_cache_free() twice. Found by
      MilenkoMitrovic, #1104
-   * Fix mbedtls_timing_alarm(0) on Unix.
+   * Fix mbedtls_timing_alarm(0) on Unix and MinGW.
    * Fix use of uninitialized memory in mbedtls_timing_get_timer when reset=1.
    * Fix possible memory leaks in mbedtls_gcm_self_test().
    * Added missing return code checks in mbedtls_aes_self_test().
diff --git a/library/timing.c b/library/timing.c
index 6df137d2d..35d6d89e2 100644
--- a/library/timing.c
+++ b/library/timing.c
@@ -278,6 +278,14 @@ void mbedtls_set_alarm( int seconds )
 {
     DWORD ThreadId;
 
+    if( seconds == 0 )
+    {
+        /* No need to create a thread for this simple case.
+         * Also, this shorcut is more reliable at least on MinGW32 */
+        mbedtls_timing_alarmed = 1;
+        return;
+    }
+
     mbedtls_timing_alarmed = 0;
     alarmMs = seconds * 1000;
     CloseHandle( CreateThread( NULL, 0, TimerProc, NULL, 0, &ThreadId ) );