diff --git a/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.cc b/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.cc
index 049b8d4..7d8efd0 100644
--- a/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.cc
+++ b/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.cc
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "absl/strings/str_join.h"
 #include "absl/strings/str_split.h"
 #include "absl/strings/string_view.h"
+#include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
 #include "sandboxed_api/embed_file.h"
 #include "sandboxed_api/sandbox2/comms.h"
 #include "sandboxed_api/sandbox2/fork_client.h"
@@ -206,4 +207,9 @@ pid_t GlobalForkClient::GetPid() {
   EnsureStartedLocked(GlobalForkserverStartMode::kOnDemand);
   return instance_->fork_client_.pid();
 }
+
+bool GlobalForkClient::IsStarted() {
+  absl::ReaderMutexLock lock(&instance_mutex_);
+  return instance_ != nullptr;
+}
 }  // namespace sandbox2
diff --git a/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.h b/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.h
index 99054c9..04a0cfa 100644
--- a/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.h
+++ b/sandboxed_api/sandbox2/global_forkclient.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class GlobalForkClient {
     EnsureStarted(GlobalForkserverStartMode::kOnDemand);
   }
   static void Shutdown() ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(instance_mutex_);
+  static bool IsStarted() ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(instance_mutex_);
 
  private:
   friend void StartGlobalForkserverFromLibCtor();