diff --git a/wlauto/core/instrumentation.py b/wlauto/core/instrumentation.py
index ad33ab7c..b4dbfa95 100644
--- a/wlauto/core/instrumentation.py
+++ b/wlauto/core/instrumentation.py
@@ -197,6 +197,18 @@ def is_installed(instrument):
     return False
 
 
+def is_enabled(instrument):
+    if isinstance(instrument, Instrument) or isinstance(instrument, type):
+        name = instrument.name
+    else:  # assume string
+        name = instrument
+    try:
+        installed_instrument = get_instrument(name)
+        return installed_instrument.is_enabled
+    except ValueError:
+        return False
+
+
 failures_detected = False
 
 
diff --git a/wlauto/instrumentation/__init__.py b/wlauto/instrumentation/__init__.py
index 094b8fa6..72db181e 100644
--- a/wlauto/instrumentation/__init__.py
+++ b/wlauto/instrumentation/__init__.py
@@ -23,5 +23,13 @@ def instrument_is_installed(instrument):
     return instrumentation.is_installed(instrument)
 
 
+def instrument_is_enabled(instrument):
+    """Returns ``True`` if the specified instrument is installed and is currently
+    enabled, and ``False`` other wise. The insturment maybe specified either
+    as a name or a subclass (or instance of subclass) of
+    :class:`wlauto.core.Instrument`."""
+    return instrumentation.is_enabled(instrument)
+
+
 def clear_instrumentation():
     instrumentation.installed = []
diff --git a/wlauto/tests/test_instrumentation.py b/wlauto/tests/test_instrumentation.py
index 6dd22689..f7d1b96e 100644
--- a/wlauto/tests/test_instrumentation.py
+++ b/wlauto/tests/test_instrumentation.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from nose.tools import assert_equal, raises, assert_true, assert_false
 
 from wlauto import Instrument
 from wlauto.core import signal, instrumentation
-from wlauto.instrumentation import instrument_is_installed, clear_instrumentation
+from wlauto.instrumentation import instrument_is_installed, instrument_is_enabled, clear_instrumentation
 
 
 class MockInstrument(Instrument):
@@ -178,6 +178,16 @@ class InstrumentationTest(TestCase):
         assert_equal(instrument2.after, 1)
         assert_equal(instrument2.result, 1)
 
+    def test_check_enabled(self):
+        instrument = _instantiate(MockInstrument)
+        instrumentation.install(instrument)
+        instrumentation.enable(instrument)
+        assert_true(instrument_is_enabled(instrument))
+        assert_true(instrument_is_enabled(instrument.name))
+        instrumentation.disable(instrument)
+        assert_false(instrument_is_enabled(instrument))
+        assert_false(instrument_is_enabled(instrument.name))
+
     def test_local_instrument(self):
         global counter
         counter = 0