diff --git a/doc/api/stream.markdown b/doc/api/stream.markdown
index d4b585afea0662..b285ae336d88bd 100644
--- a/doc/api/stream.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/stream.markdown
@@ -328,6 +328,24 @@ readable.resume()
 readable.isPaused() // === false
 ```
 
+#### readable.isFlowing()
+
+* Return: `Boolean`
+
+This method returns whether or not the `readable` is in flowing mode.
+
+```javascript
+var readable = new stream.Readable
+
+readable.isFlowing() // === false
+readable.resume()
+readable.isFlowing() // === true
+readable.pause()
+readable.isFlowing() // === false
+```
+
+
+
 #### readable.pipe(destination[, options])
 
 * `destination` {[Writable][] Stream} The destination for writing data
diff --git a/lib/_stream_readable.js b/lib/_stream_readable.js
index 4e4fbd7813debc..4487676a19495f 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_readable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_readable.js
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ Readable.prototype.isPaused = function() {
   return this._readableState.flowing === false;
 };
 
+Readable.prototype.isFlowing = function() {
+  return this._readableState.flowing === true;
+};
+
 function readableAddChunk(stream, state, chunk, encoding, addToFront) {
   var er = chunkInvalid(state, chunk);
   if (er) {
diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index f1a8a3a1426ec4..fe09d6eb9f55e3 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ function flushStdio(subprocess) {
   if (subprocess.stdio == null) return;
   subprocess.stdio.forEach(function(stream, fd, stdio) {
     if (!stream || !stream.readable || stream._consuming ||
-        stream._readableState.flowing)
+        stream.isFlowing())
       return;
     stream.resume();
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-stream-isflowing.js b/test/parallel/test-stream-isflowing.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..15879e4ebd3ca0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-stream-isflowing.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+var assert = require('assert');
+var common = require('../common');
+
+var stream = require('stream');
+
+var readable = new stream.Readable;
+
+readable._read = function(){};
+
+assert.ok(!readable.isFlowing());
+
+// make the stream start flowing...
+readable.on('data', function(){});
+
+assert.ok(readable.isFlowing());
+
+readable.pause();
+assert.ok(!readable.isFlowing());
+readable.resume();
+assert.ok(readable.isFlowing());