diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.cpp
index d93f9e4481..88a34d2fdf 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.cpp
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ void AP_HAL::Util::get_system_clock_utc(int32_t &hour, int32_t &min, int32_t &se
     hour = hour_ms / (60 * 60 * 1000);
 }
 
+bool AP_HAL::Util::system_time_was_set() const
+{
+    return _system_time_was_set;
+}
+
 // get milliseconds from now to a target time of day expressed as hour, min, sec, ms
 // match starts from first value that is not -1. I.e. specifying hour=-1, minutes=10 will ignore the hour and return time until 10 minutes past 12am (utc)
 uint32_t AP_HAL::Util::get_time_utc(int32_t hour, int32_t min, int32_t sec, int32_t ms) const
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.h b/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.h
index f5073e3523..62196bc511 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL/Util.h
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ public:
      */
     virtual void set_system_clock(uint64_t time_utc_usec) {}
 
+    /*
+      check if system clock was already set
+     */
+    bool system_time_was_set() const;
+
     /*
       get system clock in UTC milliseconds
      */