--- a/src/http/ngx_http_variables.c
+++ b/src/http/ngx_http_variables.c
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ static ngx_int_t ngx_http_variable_conne
     ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data);
 static ngx_int_t ngx_http_variable_connection_requests(ngx_http_request_t *r,
     ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data);
+static ngx_int_t ngx_http_variable_connection_time(ngx_http_request_t *r,
+    ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data);
 
 static ngx_int_t ngx_http_variable_nginx_version(ngx_http_request_t *r,
     ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data);
@@ -342,6 +344,9 @@ static ngx_http_variable_t  ngx_http_cor
     { ngx_string("connection_requests"), NULL,
       ngx_http_variable_connection_requests, 0, 0, 0 },
 
+    { ngx_string("connection_time"), NULL, ngx_http_variable_connection_time,
+      0, NGX_HTTP_VAR_NOCACHEABLE, 0 },
+
     { ngx_string("nginx_version"), NULL, ngx_http_variable_nginx_version,
       0, 0, 0 },
 
@@ -2253,6 +2258,31 @@ ngx_http_variable_connection_requests(ng
 
 
 static ngx_int_t
+ngx_http_variable_connection_time(ngx_http_request_t *r,
+    ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data)
+{
+    u_char          *p;
+    ngx_msec_int_t   ms;
+
+    p = ngx_pnalloc(r->pool, NGX_TIME_T_LEN + 4);
+    if (p == NULL) {
+        return NGX_ERROR;
+    }
+
+    ms = ngx_current_msec - r->connection->start_time;
+    ms = ngx_max(ms, 0);
+
+    v->len = ngx_sprintf(p, "%T.%03M", (time_t) ms / 1000, ms % 1000) - p;
+    v->valid = 1;
+    v->no_cacheable = 0;
+    v->not_found = 0;
+    v->data = p;
+
+    return NGX_OK;
+}
+
+
+static ngx_int_t
 ngx_http_variable_nginx_version(ngx_http_request_t *r,
     ngx_http_variable_value_t *v, uintptr_t data)
 {