diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 63f8bde..b787474 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -6462,6 +6462,29 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Save variables that might be changed as a side effect.  Used when executing
+ * a timer callback.
+ */
+    void
+save_vimvars(vimvars_save_T *vvsave)
+{
+    vvsave->vv_prevcount = vimvars[VV_PREVCOUNT].vv_nr;
+    vvsave->vv_count = vimvars[VV_COUNT].vv_nr;
+    vvsave->vv_count1 = vimvars[VV_COUNT1].vv_nr;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Restore variables saved by save_vimvars().
+ */
+    void
+restore_vimvars(vimvars_save_T *vvsave)
+{
+    vimvars[VV_PREVCOUNT].vv_nr = vvsave->vv_prevcount;
+    vimvars[VV_COUNT].vv_nr = vvsave->vv_count;
+    vimvars[VV_COUNT1].vv_nr = vvsave->vv_count1;
+}
+
+/*
  * Set string v: variable to a copy of "val".
  */
     void