diff --git a/include/vsg/app/Viewer.h b/include/vsg/app/Viewer.h
index f92f44de3..60771008c 100644
--- a/include/vsg/app/Viewer.h
+++ b/include/vsg/app/Viewer.h
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ namespace vsg
         /// hint for setting the FrameStamp::simulationTime to time since start_point()
         static constexpr double UseTimeSinceStartPoint = std::numeric_limits<double>::max();
 
+        /// get next time point in Viewer::advanceToNextFrame()
+        /// The standard implemnentation advances to the actual time by using vsg::clock::now()
+        virtual clock::time_point advanceToNextTimePoint();
+
+        /// hook for Viewer::advanceToNextFrame() for advancing to next tasks, layers etc.
+        /// The default implementation advances to the next tasks
+        virtual void advanceToNextFrameHook();
+
         /// Convenience method for advancing to the next frame.
         /// Check active status, return false if viewer no longer active.
         /// If still active, poll for pending events and place them in the Events list and advance to the next frame, generate updated FrameStamp to signify the advancement to a new frame and return true.
diff --git a/src/vsg/app/Viewer.cpp b/src/vsg/app/Viewer.cpp
index dd0594ff6..c36119fb6 100644
--- a/src/vsg/app/Viewer.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/app/Viewer.cpp
@@ -150,6 +150,19 @@ bool Viewer::pollEvents(bool discardPreviousEvents)
     return result;
 }
 
+clock::time_point Viewer::advanceToNextTimePoint()
+{
+    return vsg::clock::now();
+}
+
+void Viewer::advanceToNextFrameHook()
+{
+    for (auto& task : recordAndSubmitTasks)
+    {
+        task->advance();
+    }
+}
+
 bool Viewer::advanceToNextFrame(double simulationTime)
 {
     static constexpr SourceLocation s_frame_source_location{"Viewer advanceToNextFrame", VsgFunctionName, __FILE__, __LINE__, COLOR_VIEWER, 1};
@@ -168,7 +181,7 @@ bool Viewer::advanceToNextFrame(double simulationTime)
     if (!acquireNextFrame()) return false;
 
     // create FrameStamp for frame
-    auto time = vsg::clock::now();
+    auto time = advanceToNextTimePoint();
     if (!_frameStamp)
     {
         _start_point = time;
@@ -192,10 +205,7 @@ bool Viewer::advanceToNextFrame(double simulationTime)
     // signal to instrumentation the start of frame
     if (instrumentation) instrumentation->enterFrame(&s_frame_source_location, frameReference, *_frameStamp);
 
-    for (auto& task : recordAndSubmitTasks)
-    {
-        task->advance();
-    }
+    advanceToNextFrameHook();
 
     // create an event for the new frame.
     _events.emplace_back(new FrameEvent(_frameStamp));