diff --git a/cc.asm b/cc.asm
index 3ddb0f8..89f3da5 100644
--- a/cc.asm
+++ b/cc.asm
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ TAB      equ   9                        TAB key code
          stz   ~QuickExitList
          stz   ~QuickExitList+2
          case  on
+         stz   __useTimeTool            do not use Time Tool
          jsl   ~InitIO                  reset standard I/O
          case  off
 
@@ -363,6 +364,9 @@ start    ds    2                        start of the command line string
          stz   ~ExitList+2
          stz   ~QuickExitList
          stz   ~QuickExitList+2
+         case  on
+         stz   __useTimeTool            do not use Time Tool
+         case  off
          lda   #~RTL                    set up so exit(), etc. call ~RTL
          sta   ~C_Quit+1
 
diff --git a/time.asm b/time.asm
index a64b9ae..54dda5f 100644
--- a/time.asm
+++ b/time.asm
@@ -394,13 +394,11 @@ ad1      tay
 ****************************************************************
 *
 ~get_tz_offset private
-         pha                            make space for status return/TZ prefs
+         lda   >__useTimeTool           if not using time tool
+         beq   no_tz                      assume we have no TZ offset
+
+         pha                            make space for TZ prefs
          pha
-         _tiStatus                      check if time tool is active
-         bcs   no_tz
-         lda   1,s
-         beq   no_tz
-         
          pea   1                        get one record element only (TZ offset)
 
          tsc                            get time zone preference
@@ -409,9 +407,14 @@ ad1      tay
          pha
          _tiGetTimePrefs
          pla
-         bcs   no_tz
+         bcc   have_tz
+         pla
+         pla
+         lda   #0                       assume 0 offset if TZ info not available
+no_tz    tax
+         rts
 
-         pha                            determine if it's daylight savings
+have_tz  pha                            determine if it's daylight savings
          ph2   #$5E
          _ReadBParam
          pla
@@ -430,12 +433,6 @@ ad1      tay
 ret      pla                            return offset value
          plx
          rts
-
-no_tz    pla
-         pla
-         lda   #0                       assume 0 offset if no TZ info available
-         tax
-         rts
          end
 
 ****************************************************************
@@ -1318,14 +1315,11 @@ Y_skip   inx
 ;%Z - time zone name or abbreviation, if available
 ;we print the numeric offset for both, or nothing if time zone is not available
 fmt_z    anop
-fmt_Z    pha                            check if time tool is active
-         _tiStatus
-         pla
-         bcs   z_ret
-         beq   z_ret
+fmt_Z    lda   >__useTimeTool           if not using Time Tool
+         beq   z_ret                      write nothing
          pea   0                        push pointer to string buffer
          tdc
-;        clc
+         clc
          adc   #numstr
          pha
          pha                            make space for TZ preferences record
diff --git a/vars.asm b/vars.asm
index 20be459..6332749 100644
--- a/vars.asm
+++ b/vars.asm
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ sys_nerr entry                          # of error messages
 _toolErr entry                          last error in a tool call (C)
 ~TOOLERROR entry                        last error in a tool call (Pascal)
          ds    2
+__useTimeTool entry                     use Time Tool in <time.h> functions?
+         ds    2
          end
 
 ****************************************************************