diff --git a/include/iscsi-private.h b/include/iscsi-private.h
index 3307250..07b8ee5 100644
--- a/include/iscsi-private.h
+++ b/include/iscsi-private.h
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ struct iscsi_context {
 	int is_loggedin;
 	int is_reconnecting;
 	int bind_interfaces_cnt;
+	int nops_in_flight;
 
 	int chap_a;
 	int chap_i;
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ struct iscsi_context {
 	int no_auto_reconnect;
 	int reconnect_deferred;
 	int reconnect_max_retries;
-	
+
 	int log_level;
 	iscsi_log_fn log_fn;
 
diff --git a/include/iscsi.h b/include/iscsi.h
index 162756d..971393f 100644
--- a/include/iscsi.h
+++ b/include/iscsi.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ struct sockaddr;
 
 /* FEATURES */
 #define LIBISCSI_FEATURE_IOVECTOR (1)
+#define LIBISCSI_FEATURE_NOP_COUNTER (1)
 
 #define MAX_STRING_SIZE (255)
 
@@ -474,10 +475,17 @@ struct iscsi_discovery_address {
  *                            structure containing the data returned from
  *                            the server.
  *    ISCSI_STATUS_CANCELLED: Discovery was aborted. Command_data is NULL.
+ * 
+ * The callback may be NULL if you only want to let libiscsi count the in-flight
+ * NOPs.
  */
 EXTERN int iscsi_nop_out_async(struct iscsi_context *iscsi, iscsi_command_cb cb,
 			unsigned char *data, int len, void *private_data);
 
+
+/* read out the number of consecutive nop outs that did not receive an answer */
+EXTERN int iscsi_get_nops_in_flight(struct iscsi_context *iscsi);
+
 struct scsi_task;
 
 enum iscsi_task_mgmt_funcs {
diff --git a/lib/libiscsi.def b/lib/libiscsi.def
index b7220da..5e8bedf 100644
--- a/lib/libiscsi.def
+++ b/lib/libiscsi.def
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ iscsi_get_fd
 iscsi_get_lba_status_sync
 iscsi_get_lba_status_task
 iscsi_get_target_address
+iscsi_get_nops_in_flight
 iscsi_inquiry_sync
 iscsi_inquiry_task
 iscsi_is_logged_in
diff --git a/lib/libiscsi.syms b/lib/libiscsi.syms
index 5e410c4..8c1f0a8 100644
--- a/lib/libiscsi.syms
+++ b/lib/libiscsi.syms
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ iscsi_get_fd
 iscsi_get_lba_status_sync
 iscsi_get_lba_status_task
 iscsi_get_target_address
+iscsi_get_nops_in_flight
 iscsi_inquiry_sync
 iscsi_inquiry_task
 iscsi_is_logged_in
diff --git a/lib/nop.c b/lib/nop.c
index 102df7c..597fe7c 100644
--- a/lib/nop.c
+++ b/lib/nop.c
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ iscsi_nop_out_async(struct iscsi_context *iscsi, iscsi_command_cb cb,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	iscsi->nops_in_flight++;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -130,6 +132,12 @@ iscsi_process_nop_out_reply(struct iscsi_context *iscsi, struct iscsi_pdu *pdu,
 {
 	struct iscsi_data data;
 
+	iscsi->nops_in_flight = 0;
+
+	if (pdu->callback == NULL) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	data.data = NULL;
 	data.size = 0;
 
@@ -137,7 +145,13 @@ iscsi_process_nop_out_reply(struct iscsi_context *iscsi, struct iscsi_pdu *pdu,
 		data.data = in->data;
 		data.size = in->data_pos;
 	}
+	
 	pdu->callback(iscsi, SCSI_STATUS_GOOD, &data, pdu->private_data);
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int iscsi_get_nops_in_flight(struct iscsi_context *iscsi)
+{
+	return iscsi->nops_in_flight;
+}