diff --git a/include/datetime.php b/include/datetime.php
index 087e6cb20d..d44e995cfa 100644
--- a/include/datetime.php
+++ b/include/datetime.php
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ function timezone_cmp($a, $b) {
 }}
 
 // emit a timezone selector grouped (primarily) by continent
-
 if(! function_exists('select_timezone')) {
 function select_timezone($current = 'America/Los_Angeles') {
 
@@ -55,6 +54,23 @@ function select_timezone($current = 'America/Los_Angeles') {
 	return $o;
 }}
 
+// return a select using 'field_select_raw' template, with timezones 
+// groupped (primarily) by continent
+// arguments follow convetion as other field_* template array:
+// 'name', 'label', $value, 'help'
+if (!function_exists('field_timezone')){
+function field_timezone($name='timezone', $label='', $current = 'America/Los_Angeles', $help){
+	$options = select_timezone($current);
+	$options = str_replace('<select id="timezone_select" name="timezone">','', $options);
+	$options = str_replace('</select>','', $options);
+	
+	$tpl = get_markup_template('field_select_raw.tpl');
+	return replace_macros($tpl, array(
+		'$field' => array($name, $label, $current, $help, $options),
+	));
+	
+}}
+
 // General purpose date parse/convert function.
 // $from = source timezone
 // $to   = dest timezone
@@ -446,4 +462,4 @@ function update_contact_birthdays() {
 
 		}
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/view/field_select_raw.tpl b/view/field_select_raw.tpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..765b285d99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/view/field_select_raw.tpl
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+	
+	<div class='field select'>
+		<label for='id_$field.0'>$field.1</label>
+		<select name='$field.0' id='id_$field.0'>
+			$field.4
+		</select>
+		<span class='field_help'>$field.3</span>
+	</div>