diff --git a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
index c27f6a12e..18b6f56ed 100644
--- a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
+++ b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
@@ -177,6 +177,13 @@ public class Server implements Runnable {
     return -1;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return true if this server is still active and hasn't run
+   * into any trouble.
+   */
+  public boolean active() {
+    return (thread != null);
+  }
   
   static public String ip() {
     try {
diff --git a/java/libraries/serial/src/processing/serial/Serial.java b/java/libraries/serial/src/processing/serial/Serial.java
index f473f863d..4dfe94595 100644
--- a/java/libraries/serial/src/processing/serial/Serial.java
+++ b/java/libraries/serial/src/processing/serial/Serial.java
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ public class Serial implements SerialPortEventListener {
   }
 
   
+  /**
+   * Return true if this port is still active and hasn't run
+   * into any trouble.
+   */
+  public boolean active() {
+    return (port.isOpened());
+  }
+
+
   public void pre() {
     if (serialAvailableMethod != null && invokeSerialAvailable) {
       invokeSerialAvailable = false;