diff --git a/docs/content/3.config/index.md b/docs/content/3.config/index.md
index 295ecd612c..c856457ba0 100644
--- a/docs/content/3.config/index.md
+++ b/docs/content/3.config/index.md
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ Server runtime configuration.
 
 **Note:**: `nitro` namespace is reserved.
 
-
 <!-- Features -->
 
 ## `experimental`
@@ -59,7 +58,10 @@ Storage configuration.
 
 - Default: `false`
 
-Enable timing information.
+Enable timing information:
+
+- Nitro startup time log
+- `Server-Timing` header on HTTP responses
 
 ## `renderer`
 
@@ -171,8 +173,6 @@ An array of paths to nitro plugins. They will be executed by order on the first
 
 A map from dynamic virtual import names to their contents or an (async) function that returns it.
 
-
-
 <!-- Routing -->
 
 ## `baseURL`
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ Route options. It is a map from route pattern (following [unjs/radix3](https://g
 
 When `cache` option is set, handlers matching pattern will be automatically wrapped with `defineCachedEventHandler`. See [Cache API](/guide/introduction/cache) for all available cache options. (`swr: true|number` is shortcut for `cache: { swr: true, maxAge: number }`.)
 
-
 **Example:**
 
 ```js
@@ -267,8 +266,6 @@ Prerendered options. Any route specified will be fetched during the build and co
 
 If `crawlLinks` option is set to `true`, nitro starts with `/` by default (or all routes in `routes` array) and for HTML pages extracts `<a href="">` tags and prerender them as well.
 
-
-
 <!-- Directories -->
 
 ## `rootDir`
@@ -297,8 +294,6 @@ nitro's temporary working directory for generating build-related files.
 
 Output directories for production bundle.
 
-
-
 <!-- Advanced -->
 
 ## `dev`
@@ -335,7 +330,6 @@ Preview and deploy command hints are usually filled by deployment presets.
 
 A custom error handler function for development errors.
 
-
 <!-- Rollup -->
 
 ## `rollupConfig`
diff --git a/src/nitro.ts b/src/nitro.ts
index 773a390b0b..9414efee82 100644
--- a/src/nitro.ts
+++ b/src/nitro.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ export async function createNitro(config: NitroConfig = {}): Promise<Nitro> {
     nitro.options.plugins.push("#internal/nitro/debug");
   }
 
+  if (nitro.options.timing) {
+    nitro.options.plugins.push("#internal/nitro/timing");
+  }
+
   // Logger config
   if (nitro.options.logLevel !== undefined) {
     nitro.logger.level = nitro.options.logLevel;
diff --git a/src/runtime/app.ts b/src/runtime/app.ts
index cfda794306..08cd7d1fe1 100644
--- a/src/runtime/app.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/app.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import {
 } from "unenv/runtime/fetch/index";
 import { createHooks, Hookable } from "hookable";
 import { useRuntimeConfig } from "./config";
-import { timingMiddleware } from "./timing";
 import { cachedEventHandler } from "./cache";
 import { createRouteRulesHandler, getRouteRulesForPath } from "./route-rules";
 import { plugins } from "#internal/nitro/virtual/plugins";
@@ -40,8 +39,6 @@ function createNitroApp(): NitroApp {
     onError: errorHandler,
   });
 
-  h3App.use(config.app.baseURL, timingMiddleware);
-
   const router = createRouter();
 
   h3App.use(createRouteRulesHandler());
diff --git a/src/runtime/timing.ts b/src/runtime/timing.ts
index 40655425fe..94467c4515 100644
--- a/src/runtime/timing.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/timing.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 import { eventHandler } from "h3";
 
-export const globalTiming = globalThis.__timing__ || {
+import { defineNitroPlugin } from "./plugin";
+
+const globalTiming = globalThis.__timing__ || {
   start: () => 0,
   end: () => 0,
   metrics: [],
 };
 
 // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Server-Timing
-export const timingMiddleware = eventHandler((event) => {
+const timingMiddleware = eventHandler((event) => {
   const start = globalTiming.start();
 
   const _end = event.node.res.end;
@@ -30,3 +32,11 @@ export const timingMiddleware = eventHandler((event) => {
     return this;
   }.bind(event.node.res);
 });
+
+export default defineNitroPlugin((nitro) => {
+  // Always add timing middleware to the beginning of handler stack
+  nitro.h3App.stack.unshift({
+    route: "/",
+    handler: timingMiddleware,
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/tests.ts b/test/tests.ts
index eb0fcc09ed..286eb14c53 100644
--- a/test/tests.ts
+++ b/test/tests.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export async function setupTest(preset: string) {
       "/rules/nested/**": { redirect: "/base", headers: { "x-test": "test" } },
       "/rules/nested/override": { redirect: { to: "/other" } },
     },
+    timing: preset !== "cloudflare" && preset !== "vercel-edge",
   }));
 
   if (ctx.isDev) {
@@ -240,4 +241,14 @@ export function testNitro(
       additionalTests(ctx, callHandler);
     }
   }
+
+  if (ctx.nitro!.options.timing) {
+    it("set server timing header", async () => {
+      const { data, status, headers } = await callHandler({
+        url: "/api/hello",
+      });
+      expect(status).toBe(200);
+      expect(headers["server-timing"]).toMatch(/-;dur=\d+;desc="Generate"/);
+    });
+  }
 }