diff --git a/libowlps/libowlps.c b/libowlps/libowlps.c
index 586cb6a..143e5ad 100644
--- a/libowlps/libowlps.c
+++ b/libowlps/libowlps.c
@@ -137,6 +137,13 @@ owl_timestamp owl_timeval_to_timestamp(const struct timeval d)
 
 
 
+owl_bool owl_timestamp_is_null(owl_timestamp d)
+{
+  return d.tv_sec == 0 && d.tv_nsec == 0 ;
+}
+
+
+
 /*
  * Converts a owl_timestamp date value into milliseconds.
  */
diff --git a/libowlps/owlps.h b/libowlps/owlps.h
index 3d3d4f8..ac2245f 100644
--- a/libowlps/owlps.h
+++ b/libowlps/owlps.h
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ int owl_timestamp_now(owl_timestamp *now) ;
 owl_timestamp owl_timespec_to_timestamp(const struct timespec d) ;
 owl_timestamp owl_timeval_to_timestamp(const struct timeval d) ;
 void owl_timestamp_to_string(char *dst, owl_timestamp src) ;
+owl_bool owl_timestamp_is_null(owl_timestamp d) ;
 uint64_t owl_timestamp_to_ms(owl_timestamp date) ;
 uint_fast32_t owl_time_elapsed_ms(const owl_timestamp d1,
                                   const owl_timestamp d2) ;