diff --git a/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.cxx b/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.cxx
index 98ff1e0012..044766e84e 100644
--- a/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.cxx
@@ -34,12 +34,18 @@ ConfigureFn(config_grutil) {
   init_libgrutil();
 }
 
+ConfigVariableBool frame_rate_meter_milliseconds
+("frame-rate-meter-milliseconds", false);
+
 ConfigVariableDouble frame_rate_meter_update_interval
 ("frame-rate-meter-update-interval", 1.5);
 
 ConfigVariableString frame_rate_meter_text_pattern
 ("frame-rate-meter-text-pattern", "%0.1f fps");
 
+ConfigVariableString frame_rate_meter_ms_text_pattern
+("frame-rate-meter-ms-text-pattern", "%0.1f ms");
+
 ConfigVariableInt frame_rate_meter_layer_sort
 ("frame-rate-meter-layer-sort", 1000);
 
diff --git a/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.h b/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.h
index eb84add0d3..7d110d106f 100644
--- a/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.h
+++ b/panda/src/grutil/config_grutil.h
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@
 
 NotifyCategoryDecl(grutil, EXPCL_PANDA_GRUTIL, EXPTP_PANDA_GRUTIL);
 
+extern ConfigVariableBool frame_rate_meter_milliseconds;
 extern ConfigVariableDouble frame_rate_meter_update_interval;
 extern ConfigVariableString frame_rate_meter_text_pattern;
+extern ConfigVariableString frame_rate_meter_ms_text_pattern;
 extern ConfigVariableInt frame_rate_meter_layer_sort;
 extern ConfigVariableDouble frame_rate_meter_scale;
 extern ConfigVariableDouble frame_rate_meter_side_margins;
diff --git a/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.cxx b/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.cxx
index fb5b82f0e1..7e4f779a8b 100644
--- a/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.cxx
@@ -38,9 +38,15 @@ FrameRateMeter(const string &name) : TextNode(name) {
 
   Thread *current_thread = Thread::get_current_thread();
 
+  _show_milliseconds = frame_rate_meter_milliseconds;
+  if (_show_milliseconds) {
+    _text_pattern = frame_rate_meter_ms_text_pattern;
+  } else {
+    _text_pattern = frame_rate_meter_text_pattern;
+  }
+
   _update_interval = frame_rate_meter_update_interval;
   _last_update = 0.0f;
-  _text_pattern = frame_rate_meter_text_pattern;
   _clock_object = ClockObject::get_global_clock();
 
   // The top of the visible frame is 80% of the line height, based on
@@ -184,16 +190,21 @@ void FrameRateMeter::
 do_update(Thread *current_thread) {
   _last_update = _clock_object->get_frame_time(current_thread);
 
-  double frame_rate = _clock_object->get_average_frame_rate(current_thread);
+  double value = _clock_object->get_average_frame_rate(current_thread);
   double deviation = _clock_object->calc_frame_rate_deviation(current_thread);
 
+  if (_show_milliseconds) {
+    value = 1000.0 / value;
+    deviation = 1000.0 / deviation;
+  }
+
   static const size_t buffer_size = 1024;
   char buffer[buffer_size];
 #if defined(WIN32_VC) || defined(WIN64_VC)
   // Windows doesn't define snprintf().  Hope we don't overflow.
-  sprintf(buffer, _text_pattern.c_str(), frame_rate, deviation);
+  sprintf(buffer, _text_pattern.c_str(), value, deviation);
 #else
-  snprintf(buffer, buffer_size, _text_pattern.c_str(), frame_rate, deviation);
+  snprintf(buffer, buffer_size, _text_pattern.c_str(), value, deviation);
 #endif
   nassertv(strlen(buffer) < buffer_size);
 
diff --git a/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.h b/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.h
index acc2a312e5..2f95bbaf72 100644
--- a/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.h
+++ b/panda/src/grutil/frameRateMeter.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ private:
   PT(DisplayRegion) _display_region;
   NodePath _root;
 
+  bool _show_milliseconds;
   double _update_interval;
   double _last_update;
   string _text_pattern;