diff --git a/clients/lcdproc/chrono.c b/clients/lcdproc/chrono.c
index 8de7712..befd519 100644
--- a/clients/lcdproc/chrono.c
+++ b/clients/lcdproc/chrono.c
@@ -470,3 +470,34 @@ big_clock_screen (int rep, int display)
 
 	return 0;
 }										  // End big_clock_screen()
+
+int
+essential_clock_screen (int rep, int display)
+{
+	static int first = 1;
+	struct tm *rtime;
+	struct timeval ttime;
+	char  cmdbuf[64];
+	char heartbeat[] = {':', ' '};
+	char fulltxt[6];
+
+	if (first) {
+		first = 0;
+
+		sock_send_string (sock, "screen_add E\n");
+		sock_send_string (sock, "screen_set E -name {Essential Clock Screen} -heartbeat off\n");
+		sock_send_string (sock, "widget_add E s0 string\n");
+	}
+
+	gettimeofday(&ttime, NULL);
+
+	rtime = localtime (&ttime.tv_sec);
+
+	sprintf (fulltxt, "%02d%c%02d", rtime->tm_hour, heartbeat[ttime.tv_usec / 500000], rtime->tm_min);
+
+	sprintf (cmdbuf, "widget_set E s0 %d %d \"%s\"\n", ( lcd_wid - 5 ) / 2, lcd_hgt / 2, fulltxt);
+
+	sock_send_string (sock, cmdbuf);
+
+	return 0;
+}										  // End essential_clock_screen()
diff --git a/clients/lcdproc/main.c b/clients/lcdproc/main.c
index 9a8c642..1c1bf82 100644
--- a/clients/lcdproc/main.c
+++ b/clients/lcdproc/main.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static mode default_sequence[] =
 	{'G', 1, 2, 0, 0xffff, 0,},			// Cpu histogram [G]raph
 	{'S', 16, 256, 1, 0xffff, 0,},		// [S]ize of biggest programs
 	{'D', 256, 256, 1, 0xffff, 0,},		// [D]isk stats
+	{'E', 4, 64, 0, 0xffff, 0,},		// [E]ssential clock 
 	{0, 0, 0, 0, 0,},					// No more..  all done.
 };
 
@@ -248,7 +249,9 @@ HelpScreen ()
 	printf("Usage: lcdproc [-s server] [-p port] [-e islow] [-d] [modelist]\n");
 	printf("\tOptions in []'s are optional.\n");
 	printf("\tmodelist is \"mode [mode mode ...]\"\n");
-	printf("\tMode letters: \t[C]pu [G]raph [T]ime [M]emory [X]load [D]isk [B]attery\n\t\t\tproc_[S]izes [O]ld_time big_cloc[K] [U]ptime CPU_SM[P]\n\t\t\t[A]bout\n");
+	printf("\tMode letters: \t[C]pu [G]raph [T]ime [M]emory [X]load [D]isk [B]attery\n"
+		 	   "\t\t\tproc_[S]izes [O]ld_time big_cloc[K] [E]ssential_clock\n"
+			   "\t\t\t[U]ptime CPU_SM[P] [A]bout\n");
 	printf("\n");
 	printf("\tislow is to slow down initial announcement of modes (in 1/100 sec)\n");
 	printf("\tUse \"man lcdproc\" for more info.\n");
diff --git a/clients/lcdproc/mode.c b/clients/lcdproc/mode.c
index db9dbee..eca0f2c 100644
--- a/clients/lcdproc/mode.c
+++ b/clients/lcdproc/mode.c
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ update_screen(mode *m, int display)
 			case 'P':
 				status = cpu_smp_screen(m->timer, display);
 				break;
+			case 'e':
+			case 'E':
+				status = essential_clock_screen(m->timer, display);
+				break;
 			default:
 				break;
 		}
diff --git a/docs/lcdproc.1 b/docs/lcdproc.1
index 59064d1..5388fe0 100644
--- a/docs/lcdproc.1
+++ b/docs/lcdproc.1
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Daemonize right after startup
 .B \fImode\fP
 Where mode is one of the following letters:
 .RS
-[C]pu [G]raph [T]ime [M]emory [X]load [D]isk [B]attery proc_[S]izes [O]ld_time big_cloc[K] [U]ptime CPU_SM[P] [A]bout
+[C]pu [G]raph [T]ime [M]emory [X]load [D]isk [B]attery proc_[S]izes [O]ld_time big_cloc[K] [E]ssential_clock [U]ptime CPU_SM[P] [A]bout
 .RE
 .PP