diff --git a/alsaaudio.c b/alsaaudio.c
index 8508730..a9bfc58 100644
--- a/alsaaudio.c
+++ b/alsaaudio.c
@@ -840,6 +840,21 @@ alsa_asoundlib_version(PyObject * module, PyObject *args)
 	return PyUnicode_FromString(snd_asoundlib_version());
 }
 
+static PyObject *
+alsapcm_state(alsapcm_t *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,":state"))
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (!self->handle)
+	{
+		PyErr_SetString(ALSAAudioError, "PCM device is closed");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return PyLong_FromUnsignedLong((unsigned long) snd_pcm_state(self->handle));
+}
+
 static PyObject *
 alsapcm_htimestamp(alsapcm_t *self, PyObject *args)
 {
@@ -1605,6 +1620,7 @@ static PyMethodDef alsapcm_methods[] = {
 	{"get_tstamp_mode", (PyCFunction) alsapcm_get_tstamp_mode, METH_VARARGS},
 	{"dumpinfo", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_dumpinfo, METH_VARARGS},
 	{"info", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_info, METH_VARARGS},
+	{"state", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_state, METH_VARARGS},
 	{"getformats", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_getformats, METH_VARARGS},
 	{"getratebounds", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_getratemaxmin, METH_VARARGS},
 	{"getrates", (PyCFunction)alsapcm_getrates, METH_VARARGS},
@@ -3054,6 +3070,16 @@ PyObject *PyInit_alsaaudio(void)
 	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_FORMAT_DSD_U32_BE", SND_PCM_FORMAT_DSD_U32_BE);
 #endif
 
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_OPEN", SND_PCM_STATE_OPEN);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_SETUP", SND_PCM_STATE_SETUP);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_PREPARED", SND_PCM_STATE_PREPARED);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_RUNNING", SND_PCM_STATE_RUNNING);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_XRUN", SND_PCM_STATE_XRUN);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_DRAINING", SND_PCM_STATE_DRAINING);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_PAUSED", SND_PCM_STATE_PAUSED);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_SUSPENDED", SND_PCM_STATE_SUSPENDED);
+	_EXPORT_INT(m, "PCM_STATE_DISCONNECTED", SND_PCM_STATE_DISCONNECTED);
+
 	/* Mixer stuff */
 	_EXPORT_INT(m, "MIXER_CHANNEL_ALL", MIXER_CHANNEL_ALL);
 
diff --git a/doc/libalsaaudio.rst b/doc/libalsaaudio.rst
index 2ed5f7a..9b8f479 100644
--- a/doc/libalsaaudio.rst
+++ b/doc/libalsaaudio.rst
@@ -297,6 +297,21 @@ PCM objects have the following methods:
 
    Dumps the PCM object's configured parameters to stdout.
 
+.. method:: PCM.state()
+
+   Returs the current state of the stream, which can be one of
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_OPEN` (this should not actually happen),
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_SETUP` (after :func:`drop` or :func:`drain`),
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_PREPARED` (after construction),
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_RUNNING`,
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_XRUN`,
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_DRAINING`,
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_PAUSED`,
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_SUSPENDED`, and
+   :const:`PCM_STATE_DISCONNECTED`.
+
+   *New in 0.10*
+
 .. method:: PCM.read()
 
    In :const:`PCM_NORMAL` mode, this function blocks until a full period is