diff --git a/src/core/index.js b/src/core/index.js
index fc4c54d6e5..37b4222cac 100644
--- a/src/core/index.js
+++ b/src/core/index.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const debug = require('debug')
 const defaultRepo = require('./default-repo')
 
 const components = require('./components')
+const utils = require('./utils')
 
 class IPFS {
   constructor (configOpts) {
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ class IPFS {
     this.bitswap = components.bitswap(this)
     this.ping = components.ping(this)
     this.pubsub = components.pubsub(this)
+    this.repoExists = utils.repoExists(this)
 
     if (configOpts.EXPERIMENTAL.pubsub) {
       this.log('EXPERIMENTAL pubsub is enabled')
diff --git a/src/core/utils.js b/src/core/utils.js
index 6278eba9ed..72f0212002 100644
--- a/src/core/utils.js
+++ b/src/core/utils.js
@@ -14,4 +14,16 @@ exports.ifRepoExists = (repo, cb) => {
   })
 }
 
+exports.repoExists = (self) => {
+  return (cb) => {
+    self._repo.exists((err, exists) => {
+      if (err) {
+        return cb(err)
+      }
+
+      cb(err, exists)
+    })
+  }
+}
+
 exports.OFFLINE_ERROR = new Error('This command must be run in online mode. Try running \'ipfs daemon\' first.')
diff --git a/test/core/init.spec.js b/test/core/init.spec.js
index 16b382eba9..a012fc0d4b 100644
--- a/test/core/init.spec.js
+++ b/test/core/init.spec.js
@@ -83,4 +83,24 @@ describe('init', () => {
       })
     })
   })
+
+  it('checks if existing repo exists', (done) => {
+    ipfs.init({ bits: 1024, emptyRepo: true }, (err) => {
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+
+      ipfs.repoExists((err, exists) => {
+        expect(err).to.not.exist
+        expect(exists).to.be.true
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('checks if nonexistant repo exists', (done) => {
+    ipfs.repoExists((err, exists) => {
+      expect(err).to.not.exist
+      expect(exists).to.be.false
+      done()
+    })
+  })
 })