diff --git a/include/lighttpd/waitqueue.h b/include/lighttpd/waitqueue.h
index 5fc73d4..cbc3129 100644
--- a/include/lighttpd/waitqueue.h
+++ b/include/lighttpd/waitqueue.h
@@ -45,4 +45,7 @@ LI_API waitqueue_elem *waitqueue_pop(waitqueue *queue);
 /* removes an element from the queue */
 LI_API void waitqueue_remove(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem);
 
+/* returns the length of the queue */
+LI_API guint waitqueue_length(waitqueue *queue);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/waitqueue.c b/src/waitqueue.c
index 5f7bc14..a2b551f 100644
--- a/src/waitqueue.c
+++ b/src/waitqueue.c
@@ -103,4 +103,18 @@ void waitqueue_remove(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem) {
 		elem->next->prev = elem->prev;
 
 	elem->queued = FALSE;
+	elem->ts = 0;
+}
+
+
+guint waitqueue_length(waitqueue *queue) {
+	guint i = 0;
+	waitqueue_elem *elem = queue->head;
+
+	while (elem) {
+		i++;
+		elem = elem->next;
+	}
+
+	return i;
 }