diff --git a/cmd/micro/initlua.go b/cmd/micro/initlua.go
index 5acb979d..41d752cc 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/initlua.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/initlua.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"log"
+	"time"
 
 	lua "github.com/yuin/gopher-lua"
 	luar "layeh.com/gopher-luar"
@@ -55,6 +56,11 @@ func luaImportMicro() *lua.LTable {
 		return action.Tabs
 	}))
 	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "Lock", luar.New(ulua.L, &ulua.Lock))
+	ulua.L.SetField(pkg, "After", luar.New(ulua.L, func(t time.Duration, f func()) {
+		time.AfterFunc(t, func() {
+			timerChan <- f
+		})
+	}))
 
 	return pkg
 }
diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index e0ef0987..09c9ab2b 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ var (
 
 	sigterm chan os.Signal
 	sighup  chan os.Signal
+
+	timerChan chan func()
 )
 
 func InitFlags() {
@@ -364,6 +366,8 @@ func main() {
 	signal.Notify(sigterm, syscall.SIGTERM, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGQUIT, syscall.SIGABRT)
 	signal.Notify(sighup, syscall.SIGHUP)
 
+	timerChan = make(chan func())
+
 	// Here is the event loop which runs in a separate thread
 	go func() {
 		for {
@@ -429,6 +433,8 @@ func DoEvent() {
 		for len(screen.DrawChan()) > 0 {
 			<-screen.DrawChan()
 		}
+	case f := <-timerChan:
+		f()
 	case <-sighup:
 		for _, b := range buffer.OpenBuffers {
 			if !b.Modified() {
diff --git a/runtime/help/plugins.md b/runtime/help/plugins.md
index 19dd0c3e..497f623d 100644
--- a/runtime/help/plugins.md
+++ b/runtime/help/plugins.md
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ The packages and functions are listed below (in Go type signatures):
        current pane is not a BufPane.
 
     - `CurTab() *Tab`: returns the current tab.
+
+    - `After(t time.Duration, f func())`: run function `f` in the background
+       after time `t` elapses. See https://pkg.go.dev/time#Duration for the
+       usage of `time.Duration`.
+
 * `micro/config`
 	- `MakeCommand(name string, action func(bp *BufPane, args[]string),
                    completer buffer.Completer)`: