diff --git a/Include/pythonrun.h b/Include/pythonrun.h
index 09d3b57..7d4f056 100644
--- a/Include/pythonrun.h
+++ b/Include/pythonrun.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 
 void Py_Initialize Py_PROTO((void));
 void Py_Finalize Py_PROTO((void));
+int Py_IsInitialized Py_PROTO((void));
 PyThreadState *Py_NewInterpreter Py_PROTO((void));
 void Py_EndInterpreter Py_PROTO((PyThreadState *));
 
diff --git a/PC/python_nt.def b/PC/python_nt.def
index 786d072..2e40108 100644
--- a/PC/python_nt.def
+++ b/PC/python_nt.def
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@
 	Py_FatalError
 	Py_Exit
 	Py_Initialize
+	Py_Finalize
+	Py_IsInitialized
 	PyErr_Print
 	PyParser_SimpleParseFile
 	PyParser_SimpleParseString
diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index 9f977f0..22cb86b 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@
 
 static int initialized = 0;
 
+/* API to access the initialized flag -- useful for eroteric use */
+
+int
+Py_IsInitialized()
+{
+	return initialized;
+}
+
 /* Global initializations.  Can be undone by Py_Finalize().  Don't
    call this twice without an intervening Py_Finalize() call.  When
    initializations fail, a fatal error is issued and the function does