diff --git a/t/01base.c b/t/01base.c
index 54ad44d..463a0ed 100644
--- a/t/01base.c
+++ b/t/01base.c
@@ -6,13 +6,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   TermKey   *tk;
 
-  plan_tests(3);
+  plan_tests(6);
 
   tk = termkey_new_abstract("vt100", 0);
 
   ok(!!tk, "termkey_new_abstract");
 
   is_int(termkey_get_buffer_size(tk), 256, "termkey_get_buffer_size");
+  ok(termkey_is_started(tk), "termkey_is_started true after construction");
+
+  termkey_stop(tk);
+
+  ok(!termkey_is_started(tk), "termkey_is_started false after termkey_stop()");
+
+  termkey_start(tk);
+
+  ok(termkey_is_started(tk), "termkey_is_started true after termkey_start()");
 
   termkey_destroy(tk);
 
diff --git a/termkey.c b/termkey.c
index 9286149..5f5a9a9 100644
--- a/termkey.c
+++ b/termkey.c
@@ -446,6 +446,11 @@ int termkey_stop(TermKey *tk)
   return 1;
 }
 
+int termkey_is_started(TermKey *tk)
+{
+  return tk->is_started;
+}
+
 int termkey_get_fd(TermKey *tk)
 {
   return tk->fd;
diff --git a/termkey.h.in b/termkey.h.in
index 5b7a2ce..a96a9a2 100644
--- a/termkey.h.in
+++ b/termkey.h.in
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ void     termkey_destroy(TermKey *tk);
 
 int termkey_start(TermKey *tk);
 int termkey_stop(TermKey *tk);
+int termkey_is_started(TermKey *tk);
 
 int termkey_get_fd(TermKey *tk);