diff --git a/sys/include/ztimer.h b/sys/include/ztimer.h
index d3976de505..f1f93e3e90 100644
--- a/sys/include/ztimer.h
+++ b/sys/include/ztimer.h
@@ -349,6 +349,17 @@ void ztimer_handler(ztimer_clock_t *clock);
  */
 void ztimer_set(ztimer_clock_t *clock, ztimer_t *timer, uint32_t val);
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Check if a timer is currently active
+ *
+ * @param[in]   clock       ztimer clock to operate on
+ * @param[in]   timer       timer to check
+ *
+ * @return  > 0 if timer is active
+ * @return 0 if timer is not active
+ */
+unsigned ztimer_is_set(const ztimer_clock_t *clock, const ztimer_t *timer);
+
 /**
  * @brief   Remove a timer from a clock
  *
diff --git a/sys/ztimer/core.c b/sys/ztimer/core.c
index 7c7fbc3e46..9a8af567d7 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/core.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/core.c
@@ -58,6 +58,15 @@ static unsigned _is_set(const ztimer_clock_t *clock, const ztimer_t *t)
     }
 }
 
+unsigned ztimer_is_set(const ztimer_clock_t *clock, const ztimer_t *timer)
+{
+    unsigned state = irq_disable();
+    unsigned res = _is_set(clock, timer);
+
+    irq_restore(state);
+    return res;
+}
+
 void ztimer_remove(ztimer_clock_t *clock, ztimer_t *timer)
 {
     unsigned state = irq_disable();
diff --git a/tests/ztimer_periodic/main.c b/tests/ztimer_periodic/main.c
index ce2fb557c9..71673a52d7 100644
--- a/tests/ztimer_periodic/main.c
+++ b/tests/ztimer_periodic/main.c
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ int main(void)
 
     ztimer_periodic_start(&t);
 
+    if (!ztimer_is_set(ZTIMER_MSEC, &t.timer)) {
+        print_str("Test failed\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     /* wait for periodic to trigger N times */
     mutex_lock(&_mutex);