diff --git a/docs/libs/ges-sections.txt b/docs/libs/ges-sections.txt
index 9229e6915d..570caba1a3 100644
--- a/docs/libs/ges-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/libs/ges-sections.txt
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ ges_timeline_set_auto_transition
 ges_timeline_get_snapping_distance
 ges_timeline_set_snapping_distance
 ges_timeline_get_element
+ges_timeline_is_empty
 <SUBSECTION Standard>
 GESTimelinePrivate
 GESTimelineClass
diff --git a/ges/ges-timeline.c b/ges/ges-timeline.c
index 013d7fac1c..89563eee9c 100644
--- a/ges/ges-timeline.c
+++ b/ges/ges-timeline.c
@@ -3187,3 +3187,32 @@ ges_timeline_get_element (GESTimeline * timeline, const gchar * name)
 
   return NULL;
 }
+
+/**
+ * ges_timeline_is_empty:
+ * @timeline: a #GESTimeline
+ *
+ * Check whether a #GESTimelineElement is empty or not
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE if the timeline is empty %FALSE otherwize
+ */
+gboolean
+ges_timeline_is_empty (GESTimeline * timeline)
+{
+  GHashTableIter iter;
+  gpointer key, value;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GES_IS_TIMELINE (timeline), FALSE);
+
+  if (g_hash_table_size (timeline->priv->all_elements) == 0)
+    return TRUE;
+
+  g_hash_table_iter_init (&iter, timeline->priv->all_elements);
+  while (g_hash_table_iter_next (&iter, &key, &value)) {
+    if (GES_IS_SOURCE (value) &&
+        ges_track_element_is_active (GES_TRACK_ELEMENT (value)))
+      return FALSE;
+  }
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
diff --git a/ges/ges-timeline.h b/ges/ges-timeline.h
index f1d2bf811d..bbcc83aa3e 100644
--- a/ges/ges-timeline.h
+++ b/ges/ges-timeline.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ void ges_timeline_set_auto_transition (GESTimeline * timeline, gboolean auto_tra
 GstClockTime ges_timeline_get_snapping_distance (GESTimeline * timeline);
 void ges_timeline_set_snapping_distance (GESTimeline * timeline, GstClockTime snapping_distance);
 GESTimelineElement * ges_timeline_get_element (GESTimeline * timeline, const gchar *name);
+gboolean ges_timeline_is_empty (GESTimeline * timeline);
 
 G_END_DECLS