diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
index 959a60533..785f67aca 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen-private.h
@@ -79,3 +79,6 @@ 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_count_pending_frames (CoglOnscreen *onscreen);
diff --git a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
index afb648bcd..086be7ed7 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl/cogl-onscreen.c
@@ -515,6 +515,14 @@ cogl_onscreen_pop_head_frame_info (CoglOnscreen *onscreen)
   return g_queue_pop_head (&priv->pending_frame_infos);
 }
 
+unsigned int
+cogl_onscreen_count_pending_frames (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,