diff --git a/common/mischelp.h b/common/mischelp.h
index e3c4fd198..884e86158 100644
--- a/common/mischelp.h
+++ b/common/mischelp.h
@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@ time_t timegm (struct tm *tm);
 #define DIMof(type,member)   DIM(((type *)0)->member)
 
 
+#undef JNLIB_GCC_HAVE_PUSH_PRAGMA
 #if __GNUC__ > 2 || (__GNUC__ == 2 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 5 )
 # define JNLIB_GCC_M_FUNCTION 1
 # define JNLIB_GCC_A_NR 	     __attribute__ ((noreturn))
 # if __GNUC__ > 4 || (__GNUC__ == 4 && __GNUC_MINOR__ >= 4 )
+#   define JNLIB_GCC_HAVE_PUSH_PRAGMA 1
 #   define JNLIB_GCC_A_PRINTF( f, a ) \
                     __attribute__ ((format (__gnu_printf__,f,a)))
 #   define JNLIB_GCC_A_NR_PRINTF( f, a ) \
diff --git a/dirmngr/dirmngr.c b/dirmngr/dirmngr.c
index ab657202c..81da029a3 100644
--- a/dirmngr/dirmngr.c
+++ b/dirmngr/dirmngr.c
@@ -1686,18 +1686,36 @@ housekeeping_thread (void *arg)
 }
 
 
+#if JNLIB_GCC_HAVE_PUSH_PRAGMA
+# pragma GCC push_options
+# pragma GCC optimize ("no-strict-overflow")
+#endif
+static int
+time_for_housekeeping_p (time_t curtime)
+{
+  static time_t last_housekeeping;
+
+  if (!last_housekeeping)
+    last_housekeeping = curtime;
+
+  if (last_housekeeping + HOUSEKEEPING_INTERVAL <= curtime
+      || last_housekeeping > curtime /*(be prepared for y2038)*/)
+    {
+      last_housekeeping = curtime;
+      return 1;
+    }
+  return 0;
+}
+#if JNLIB_GCC_HAVE_PUSH_PRAGMA
+# pragma GCC pop_options
+#endif
+
+
 /* This is the worker for the ticker.  It is called every few seconds
    and may only do fast operations. */
 static void
 handle_tick (void)
 {
-  static time_t last_housekeeping;
-  time_t curtime;
-
-  curtime = gnupg_get_time ();
-  if (!last_housekeeping)
-    last_housekeeping = curtime;
-
   /* Under Windows we don't use signals and need a way for the loop to
      check for the shutdown flag.  */
 #ifdef HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
@@ -1712,16 +1730,12 @@ handle_tick (void)
     }
 #endif /*HAVE_W32_SYSTEM*/
 
-  /* Start a housekeeping thread every 10 minutes  */
-  if (last_housekeeping + HOUSEKEEPING_INTERVAL <= curtime
-      || last_housekeeping > curtime /*(be prepared for y2038)*/)
+  if (time_for_housekeeping_p (gnupg_get_time ()))
     {
       npth_t thread;
       npth_attr_t tattr;
       int err;
 
-      last_housekeeping = curtime;
-
       err = npth_attr_init (&tattr);
       if (err)
         log_error ("error preparing housekeeping thread: %s\n", strerror (err));