diff --git a/base/timing.jl b/base/timing.jl
index dcdd052926b67..0e0420195b678 100644
--- a/base/timing.jl
+++ b/base/timing.jl
@@ -598,3 +598,16 @@ macro timed(ex)
         )
     end
 end
+
+# Exported, documented, and tested in InteractiveUtils
+# here so it's possible to time all imports, including InteractiveUtils and its deps
+macro time_imports(ex)
+    quote
+        try
+            Base.Threads.atomic_add!(Base.TIMING_IMPORTS, 1)
+            $(esc(ex))
+        finally
+            Base.Threads.atomic_sub!(Base.TIMING_IMPORTS, 1)
+        end
+    end
+end
diff --git a/stdlib/InteractiveUtils/src/macros.jl b/stdlib/InteractiveUtils/src/macros.jl
index 939098464e148..71f895ba88618 100644
--- a/stdlib/InteractiveUtils/src/macros.jl
+++ b/stdlib/InteractiveUtils/src/macros.jl
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 import Base: typesof, insert!, replace_ref_begin_end!, infer_effects
 
+# defined in Base so it's possible to time all imports, including InteractiveUtils and its deps
+# via. `Base.@time_imports` etc.
+import Base: @time_imports
+
 separate_kwargs(args...; kwargs...) = (args, values(kwargs))
 
 """
@@ -240,17 +244,6 @@ macro code_lowered(ex0...)
     end
 end
 
-macro time_imports(ex)
-    quote
-        try
-            Base.Threads.atomic_add!(Base.TIMING_IMPORTS, 1)
-            $(esc(ex))
-        finally
-            Base.Threads.atomic_sub!(Base.TIMING_IMPORTS, 1)
-        end
-    end
-end
-
 """
     @functionloc