diff --git a/src/Std/Internal.lean b/src/Std/Internal.lean
index 33c14dbce2e0..bc065b5dfef9 100644
--- a/src/Std/Internal.lean
+++ b/src/Std/Internal.lean
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
 Authors: Henrik Böving
 -/
 prelude
+import Std.Internal.Async
 import Std.Internal.Parsec
 import Std.Internal.UV
 
diff --git a/src/Std/Internal/Async.lean b/src/Std/Internal/Async.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8d8e7db3e919
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Std/Internal/Async.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2024 Lean FRO, LLC. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Henrik Böving
+-/
+prelude
+import Std.Internal.Async.Basic
+import Std.Internal.Async.Timer
diff --git a/src/Std/Internal/Async/Basic.lean b/src/Std/Internal/Async/Basic.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..387bdc8f22b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Std/Internal/Async/Basic.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2024 Lean FRO, LLC. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Henrik Böving
+-/
+prelude
+import Init.Core
+import Init.System.IO
+import Init.System.Promise
+
+namespace Std
+namespace Internal
+namespace IO
+namespace Async
+
+/--
+A `Task` that may resolve to a value or an `IO.Error`.
+-/
+def AsyncTask (α : Type u) : Type u := Task (Except IO.Error α)
+
+namespace AsyncTask
+
+/--
+Construct an `AsyncTask` that is already resolved with value `x`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+protected def pure (x : α) : AsyncTask α := Task.pure <| .ok x
+
+instance : Pure AsyncTask where
+  pure := AsyncTask.pure
+
+/--
+Create a new `AsyncTask` that will run after `x` has finished.
+If `x`:
+- errors, return an `AsyncTask` that reolves to the error.
+- succeeds, run `f` on the result of `x` and return the `AsyncTask` produced by `f`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+protected def bind (x : AsyncTask α) (f : α → AsyncTask β) : AsyncTask β :=
+  Task.bind x fun r =>
+    match r with
+    | .ok a => f a
+    | .error e => Task.pure <| .error e
+
+/--
+Create a new `AsyncTask` that will run after `x` has finished.
+If `x`:
+- errors, return an `AsyncTask` that reolves to the error.
+- succeeds, return an `AsyncTask` that resolves to `f x`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def map (f : α → β) (x : AsyncTask α) : AsyncTask β :=
+  Task.map (x := x) fun r =>
+    match r with
+    | .ok a => .ok (f a)
+    | .error e => .error e
+
+/--
+Similar to `bind`, however `f` has access to the `IO` monad. If `f` throws an error, the returned
+`AsyncTask` resolves to that error.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def bindIO (x : AsyncTask α) (f : α → IO (AsyncTask β)) : BaseIO (AsyncTask β) :=
+  IO.bindTask x fun r =>
+    match r with
+    | .ok a => f a
+    | .error e => .error e
+
+/--
+Similar to `bind`, however `f` has access to the `IO` monad. If `f` throws an error, the returned
+`AsyncTask` resolves to that error.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def mapIO (f : α → IO β) (x : AsyncTask α) : BaseIO (AsyncTask β) :=
+  IO.mapTask (t := x) fun r =>
+    match r with
+    | .ok a => f a
+    | .error e => .error e
+
+/--
+Block until the `AsyncTask` in `x` finishes.
+-/
+def block (x : AsyncTask α) : IO α := do
+  let res := x.get
+  match res with
+  | .ok a => return a
+  | .error e => .error e
+
+/--
+Create an `AsyncTask` that resolves to the value of `x`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def ofPromise (x : IO.Promise (Except IO.Error α)) : AsyncTask α :=
+  x.result
+
+/--
+Create an `AsyncTask` that resolves to the value of `x`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def ofPurePromise (x : IO.Promise α) : AsyncTask α :=
+  x.result.map pure
+
+/--
+Obtain the `IO.TaskState` of `x`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def getState (x : AsyncTask α) : BaseIO IO.TaskState :=
+  IO.getTaskState x
+
+end AsyncTask
+
+end Async
+end IO
+end Internal
+end Std
diff --git a/src/Std/Internal/Async/Timer.lean b/src/Std/Internal/Async/Timer.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..72cf604fb775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Std/Internal/Async/Timer.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2024 Lean FRO, LLC. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Henrik Böving
+-/
+prelude
+import Std.Time
+import Std.Internal.UV
+import Std.Internal.Async.Basic
+
+
+namespace Std
+namespace Internal
+namespace IO
+namespace Async
+
+/--
+`Sleep` can be used to sleep for some duration once.
+The underlying timer has millisecond resolution.
+-/
+structure Sleep where
+  private ofNative ::
+    native : Internal.UV.Timer
+
+namespace Sleep
+
+/--
+Set up a `Sleep` that waits for `duration` milliseconds.
+This function only initializes but does not yet start the timer.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def mk (duration : Std.Time.Millisecond.Offset) : IO Sleep := do
+  let native ← Internal.UV.Timer.mk duration.toInt.toNat.toUInt64 false
+  return ofNative native
+
+/--
+If:
+- `s` is not yet running start it and return an `AsyncTask` that will resolve once the previously
+   configured `duration` has run out.
+- `s` is already or not anymore running return the same `AsyncTask` as the first call to `wait`.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def wait (s : Sleep) : IO (AsyncTask Unit) := do
+  let promise ← s.native.next
+  return .ofPurePromise promise
+
+/--
+If:
+- `s` is still running this will delay the resolution of `AsyncTask`s created with `wait` by
+  `duration` milliseconds.
+- `s` is not yet or not anymore running this is a no-op.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def reset (s : Sleep) : IO Unit :=
+  s.native.reset
+
+/--
+If:
+- `s` is still running this stops `s` without resolving any remaing `AsyncTask` that were created
+  through `wait`. Note that if another `AsyncTask` is binding on any of these it is going hang
+  forever without further intervention.
+- `s` is not yet or not anymore running this is a no-op.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def stop (s : Sleep) : IO Unit :=
+  s.native.stop
+
+end Sleep
+
+/--
+Return an `AsyncTask` that resolves after `duration`.
+-/
+def sleep (duration : Std.Time.Millisecond.Offset) : IO (AsyncTask Unit) := do
+  let sleeper ← Sleep.mk duration
+  sleeper.wait
+
+/--
+`Interval` can be used to repeatedly wait for some duration like a clock.
+The underlying timer has millisecond resolution.
+-/
+structure Interval where
+  private ofNative ::
+    native : Internal.UV.Timer
+
+
+namespace Interval
+
+/--
+Setup up an `Interval` that waits for `duration` milliseconds.
+This function only initializes but does not yet start the timer.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def mk (duration : Std.Time.Millisecond.Offset) (_ : 0 < duration := by decide) : IO Interval := do
+  let native ← Internal.UV.Timer.mk duration.toInt.toNat.toUInt64 true
+  return ofNative native
+
+/--
+If:
+- `i` is not yet running start it and return an `AsyncTask` that resolves right away as the 0th
+  multiple of `duration` has elapsed.
+- `i` is already running and:
+  - the tick from the last call of `i` has not yet finished return the same `AsyncTask` as the last
+    call
+  - the tick frrom the last call of `i` has finished return a new `AsyncTask` that waits for the
+    closest next tick from the time of calling this function.
+- `i` is not running aymore this is a no-op.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def tick (i : Interval) : IO (AsyncTask Unit) := do
+  let promise ← i.native.next
+  return .ofPurePromise promise
+
+/--
+If:
+- `Interval.tick` was called on `i` before the timer restarts counting from now and the next tick
+   happens in `duration`.
+- `i` is not yet or not anymore running this is a no-op.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def reset (i : Interval) : IO Unit :=
+  i.native.reset
+
+/--
+If:
+- `i` is still running this stops `i` without resolving any remaing `AsyncTask` that were created
+  through `tick`. Note that if another `AsyncTask` is binding on any of these it is going hang
+  forever without further intervention.
+- `i` is not yet or not anymore running this is a no-op.
+-/
+@[inline]
+def stop (i : Interval) : IO Unit :=
+  i.native.stop
+
+end Interval
+
+end Async
+end IO
+end Internal
+end Std
diff --git a/tests/lean/run/async_surface_sleep.lean b/tests/lean/run/async_surface_sleep.lean
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..23f6cf30b27e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/run/async_surface_sleep.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import Std.Internal.Async.Timer
+
+/-
+these tests are just some preliminary ones as `async_sleep.lean` already contains extensive tests
+for the entire timer state machine and `Async.Timer` is merely a light wrapper around it.
+-/
+
+open Std.Internal.IO.Async
+
+def BASE_DURATION : Std.Time.Millisecond.Offset := 10
+
+namespace SleepTest
+
+def oneSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let sleep ← Sleep.mk BASE_DURATION
+    (← sleep.wait).mapIO fun _ =>
+      return 37
+
+def doubleSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let sleep ← Sleep.mk BASE_DURATION
+    (← sleep.wait).bindIO fun _ => do
+    (← sleep.wait).mapIO fun _ =>
+      return 37
+
+def resetSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let sleep ← Sleep.mk BASE_DURATION
+    let waiter ← sleep.wait
+    sleep.reset
+    waiter.mapIO fun _ =>
+      return 37
+
+def simpleSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    (← sleep BASE_DURATION).mapIO fun _ =>
+      return 37
+
+#eval oneSleep
+#eval doubleSleep
+#eval resetSleep
+#eval simpleSleep
+
+end SleepTest
+
+namespace IntervalTest
+
+def oneSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let interval ← Interval.mk BASE_DURATION sorry
+    (← interval.tick).mapIO fun _ => do
+      interval.stop
+      return 37
+
+def doubleSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let interval ← Interval.mk BASE_DURATION sorry
+    (← interval.tick).bindIO fun _ => do
+    (← interval.tick).mapIO fun _ => do
+      interval.stop
+      return 37
+
+def resetSleep : IO Unit := do
+  let task ← go
+  assert! (← task.block) == 37
+where
+  go : IO (AsyncTask Nat) := do
+    let interval ← Interval.mk BASE_DURATION sorry
+    (← interval.tick).bindIO fun _ => do
+      let waiter ← interval.tick
+      interval.reset
+      waiter.mapIO fun _ => do
+        interval.stop
+        return 37
+
+#eval oneSleep
+#eval doubleSleep
+#eval resetSleep
+
+end IntervalTest