diff --git a/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.cc b/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.cc
index 949c764910e16d957ccec9bd1edba5e9c24b6ec5..ec2a6b14c4d4056ffc580a046281fe6c7a547789 100644
--- a/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.cc
+++ b/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.cc
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ GostyApp* GostyApp::Instance() {
   return GostyApp::app_;
 }
 
+bool GostyApp::ValidInstance() {
+  return GostyApp::app_ != NULL;
+}
+
 void GostyApp::SetAppTitle(const QString& app_title)
 {
   main_->setWindowTitle(app_title);
diff --git a/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.hh b/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.hh
index 47b0f23fadfe151a262e25f39910b5da9eda1c24..5398c01c83a71474a29cf9c3c394bb600f0c83b9 100644
--- a/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.hh
+++ b/modules/gui/src/gosty_app.hh
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ public:
   /// \return the GostyApp instance
   static GostyApp* Instance();
 
+  /// \brief 
+  /// GostyApp is implemented as Singleton. This returns whether there is 
+  /// already a valid instance around
+  static bool ValidInstance();
+
   /// \brief This methods sets the Title of this Application
   /// \param app_title Title that will be displayed in the title bar
   void SetAppTitle(const QString& app_title);