diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
index e732d3fd0..c7c392592 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
@@ -80,3 +80,6 @@ cogl_onscreen_peek_tail_frame_info (CoglOnscreen *onscreen);
 
 COGL_EXPORT CoglFrameInfo *
 cogl_onscreen_pop_head_frame_info (CoglOnscreen *onscreen);
+
+COGL_EXPORT unsigned int
+cogl_onscreen_get_pending_frame_count (CoglOnscreen *onscreen);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
index 57aa7f0cd..b2aa95031 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
@@ -470,6 +470,14 @@ cogl_onscreen_pop_head_frame_info (CoglOnscreen *onscreen)
   return g_queue_pop_head (&priv->pending_frame_infos);
 }
 
+unsigned int
+cogl_onscreen_get_pending_frame_count (CoglOnscreen *onscreen)
+{
+  CoglOnscreenPrivate *priv = cogl_onscreen_get_instance_private (onscreen);
+
+  return g_queue_get_length (&priv->pending_frame_infos);
+}
+
 CoglFrameClosure *
 cogl_onscreen_add_frame_callback (CoglOnscreen *onscreen,
                                   CoglFrameCallback callback,