diff --git a/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp b/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
index 45707fbdc..a623849f4 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp
@@ -72,17 +72,17 @@ public:
     feature_type_style& operator=(feature_type_style const& rhs);
 
     void add_rule(rule const& rule);
-
     rules const& get_rules() const;
     rule_ptrs const& get_if_rules(double scale_denom);
     rule_ptrs const& get_else_rules(double scale_denom);
     rule_ptrs const& get_also_rules(double scale_denom);
-
     rules& get_rules_nonconst();
     
-    void set_filter_mode(filter_mode_e mode);
+    bool active(double scale_denom) const;
 
+    void set_filter_mode(filter_mode_e mode);
     filter_mode_e get_filter_mode() const;
+
     // filters
     std::vector<filter::filter_type> const& image_filters() const;
     std::vector<filter::filter_type> & image_filters();    
diff --git a/src/feature_type_style.cpp b/src/feature_type_style.cpp
index 2dc820895..ff588af7f 100644
--- a/src/feature_type_style.cpp
+++ b/src/feature_type_style.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 
 #include <mapnik/feature_type_style.hpp>
 
+// boost
+#include <boost/foreach.hpp>
+
 namespace mapnik
 {
 
@@ -89,6 +92,18 @@ rules& feature_type_style::get_rules_nonconst()
     return rules_;
 }
 
+bool feature_type_style::active(double scale_denom) const
+{
+    BOOST_FOREACH(rule const& r, rules_)
+    {
+        if (r.active(scale_denom))
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 void feature_type_style::set_filter_mode(filter_mode_e mode)
 {
     filter_mode_ = mode;