diff --git a/include/lib/aarch64/arch_helpers.h b/include/lib/aarch64/arch_helpers.h
index 9bcd0bb..6a96ea2 100644
--- a/include/lib/aarch64/arch_helpers.h
+++ b/include/lib/aarch64/arch_helpers.h
@@ -367,6 +367,7 @@
 DEFINE_SYSREG_RW_FUNCS(cntp_tval_el0)
 DEFINE_SYSREG_RW_FUNCS(cntp_cval_el0)
 DEFINE_SYSREG_READ_FUNC(cntpct_el0)
+DEFINE_SYSREG_READ_FUNC(cntvct_el0)
 DEFINE_SYSREG_RW_FUNCS(cnthctl_el2)
 
 #define get_cntp_ctl_enable(x)  (((x) >> CNTP_CTL_ENABLE_SHIFT) & \
diff --git a/spm/common/sp_helpers.c b/spm/common/sp_helpers.c
index 1b650d3..5d76dc8 100644
--- a/spm/common/sp_helpers.c
+++ b/spm/common/sp_helpers.c
@@ -60,14 +60,15 @@
 
 void sp_sleep(uint32_t ms)
 {
-	uint64_t timer_freq = mmio_read_32(SYS_CNT_CONTROL_BASE + CNTFID_OFF);
+	uint64_t timer_freq = read_cntfrq_el0();
+
 	VERBOSE("%s: Timer frequency = %llu\n", __func__, timer_freq);
 
 	VERBOSE("%s: Sleeping for %u milliseconds...\n", __func__, ms);
-	uint64_t time1 = mmio_read_64(SYS_CNT_READ_BASE);
+	uint64_t time1 = read_cntvct_el0();
 	volatile uint64_t time2 = time1;
 	while ((time2 - time1) < ((ms * timer_freq) / 1000U)) {
-		time2 = mmio_read_64(SYS_CNT_READ_BASE);
+		time2 = read_cntvct_el0();
 	}
 }