diff --git a/tests/app/application/application-tests-common.ts b/tests/app/application/application-tests-common.ts
index 47dc01e94..6d0179eb0 100644
--- a/tests/app/application/application-tests-common.ts
+++ b/tests/app/application/application-tests-common.ts
@@ -21,3 +21,7 @@ export function testDisplayedEvent() {
     // global.isDisplayedEventFired flag is set in app.ts application.displayedEvent handler
     TKUnit.assert((<any>global).isDisplayedEventFired, "application.displayedEvent not fired");
 }
+
+export function testOrientation() {
+    TKUnit.assert(app.orientation, "Orientation not initialized.");
+}
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
index b1d633c62..25e04594b 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
@@ -248,6 +248,10 @@ export function getNativeApplication(): android.app.Application {
     return nativeApp;
 }
 
+export function orientation(): "portrait" | "landscape" | "unknown" {
+    return androidApp.orientation;
+}
+
 on(orientationChangedEvent, (args: OrientationChangedEventData) => {
     const rootView = getRootView();
     if (rootView) {
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application.d.ts
index 672e55cc5..48217c411 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application.d.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application.d.ts
@@ -285,6 +285,12 @@ export function on(event: "discardedError", callback: (args: DiscardedErrorEvent
  */
 export function on(event: "orientationChanged", callback: (args: OrientationChangedEventData) => void, thisArg?: any);
 
+/**
+ * Gets the orientation of the application.
+ * Available values: "portrait", "landscape", "unknown".
+ */
+export function orientation(): "portrait" | "landscape" | "unknown";
+
 /**
  * This is the Android-specific application object instance.
  * Encapsulates methods and properties specific to the Android platform.
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
index 37a834096..60fd1fda8 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ const Responder = (<any>UIResponder).extend({
         // NOOP
     }
 }, {
-        protocols: [UIApplicationDelegate]
-    }
+    protocols: [UIApplicationDelegate]
+}
 );
 
 class NotificationObserver extends NSObject {
@@ -415,6 +415,10 @@ function setViewControllerView(view: View): void {
     }
 }
 
+export function orientation(): "portrait" | "landscape" | "unknown" {
+    return iosApp.orientation;
+}
+
 on(orientationChangedEvent, (args: OrientationChangedEventData) => {
     const rootView = getRootView();
     if (rootView) {