diff --git a/fdqueue.c b/fdqueue.c
index c7f8abbb..03592167 100644
--- a/fdqueue.c
+++ b/fdqueue.c
@@ -195,6 +195,13 @@ int _watch(struct __sourceloc __whence, struct sched_ent *alarm)
   return 0;
 }
 
+int is_watching(struct sched_ent *alarm)
+{
+  if (alarm->_poll_index <0 || fds[alarm->_poll_index].fd!=alarm->poll.fd)
+    return 0;
+  return 1;
+}
+
 // stop watching a file handle
 int _unwatch(struct __sourceloc __whence, struct sched_ent *alarm)
 {
diff --git a/fdqueue.h b/fdqueue.h
index 080b6cbc..9aab47b5 100644
--- a/fdqueue.h
+++ b/fdqueue.h
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ struct sched_ent{
 };
 
 int is_scheduled(const struct sched_ent *alarm);
+int is_watching(struct sched_ent *alarm);
 int _schedule(struct __sourceloc, struct sched_ent *alarm);
 int _unschedule(struct __sourceloc, struct sched_ent *alarm);
 int _watch(struct __sourceloc, struct sched_ent *alarm);