diff --git a/core/AmEventQueue.cpp b/core/AmEventQueue.cpp
index c6ae9d83..6cbc4903 100644
--- a/core/AmEventQueue.cpp
+++ b/core/AmEventQueue.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ void AmEventQueue::processSingleEvent()
   m_queue.unlock();
 }
 
+bool AmEventQueue::eventPending() {
+  m_queue.lock();
+  bool res = !ev_queue.empty();
+  m_queue.unlock();
+  return res;
+}
+
 void AmEventQueue::setEventNotificationSink(AmEventNotificationSink* 
 					    _wakeup_handler) {
   // locking actually not necessary - if replacing pointer is atomic 
diff --git a/core/AmEventQueue.h b/core/AmEventQueue.h
index e6322ea2..37dbb9ae 100644
--- a/core/AmEventQueue.h
+++ b/core/AmEventQueue.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public:
   void waitForEvent();
   void wakeup();
   void processSingleEvent();
+  bool eventPending();
 
   void setEventNotificationSink(AmEventNotificationSink* _wakeup_handler);
 };