Packet interception and timestamping for error estimation in active measurement protocols

A method in a network device. The method is one of estimating a time delay between when a software timestamp is generated for an active measurement protocol test packet and when the active measurement protocol test packet is transmitted from the network device onto a link. The method includes generating an error estimation packet, generating a software timestamp (ts) for the error estimation packet, and transmitting the error estimation packet toward a network interface. The method also includes intercepting the error estimation packet before it is transmitted from the network device onto the link, and generating an interception timestamp (ti) for the error estimation packet after intercepting the error estimation packet. The time delay is estimated based on a difference between the interception timestamp and the software timestamp.