diff --git a/src/ssl.c b/src/ssl.c
index a511ac933..90f908cff 100644
--- a/src/ssl.c
+++ b/src/ssl.c
@@ -2857,6 +2857,18 @@ int wolfSSL_get_alert_history(WOLFSSL* ssl, WOLFSSL_ALERT_HISTORY *h)
     return WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+/* returns SSL_WRITING, SSL_READING or SSL_NOTHING */
+int wolfSSL_want(WOLFSSL* ssl)
+{
+    int rw_state = SSL_NOTHING;
+    if (ssl) {
+        if (ssl->error == WANT_READ)
+            rw_state = SSL_READING;
+        else if (ssl->error == WANT_WRITE)
+            rw_state = SSL_WRITING;
+    }
+    return rw_state;
+}
 
 /* return TRUE if current error is want read */
 int wolfSSL_want_read(WOLFSSL* ssl)
diff --git a/wolfssl/openssl/ssl.h b/wolfssl/openssl/ssl.h
index 9abd8bed2..b1f239ba2 100644
--- a/wolfssl/openssl/ssl.h
+++ b/wolfssl/openssl/ssl.h
@@ -626,6 +626,7 @@ typedef WOLFSSL_ASN1_BIT_STRING    ASN1_BIT_STRING;
 #define SSL_get_peer_certificate        wolfSSL_get_peer_certificate
 #define SSL_get_peer_cert_chain         wolfSSL_get_peer_cert_chain
 
+#define SSL_want                        wolfSSL_want
 #define SSL_want_read                   wolfSSL_want_read
 #define SSL_want_write                  wolfSSL_want_write
 
diff --git a/wolfssl/ssl.h b/wolfssl/ssl.h
index 27ae0e77e..cbce79f8f 100644
--- a/wolfssl/ssl.h
+++ b/wolfssl/ssl.h
@@ -1625,6 +1625,7 @@ WOLFSSL_API int  wolfSSL_CTX_set_session_id_context(WOLFSSL_CTX*,
 WOLFSSL_API WOLFSSL_X509* wolfSSL_get_peer_certificate(WOLFSSL* ssl);
 WOLFSSL_API WOLF_STACK_OF(WOLFSSL_X509)* wolfSSL_get_peer_cert_chain(const WOLFSSL*);
 
+WOLFSSL_API int wolfSSL_want(WOLFSSL*);
 WOLFSSL_API int wolfSSL_want_read(WOLFSSL*);
 WOLFSSL_API int wolfSSL_want_write(WOLFSSL*);