diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index 5ceacab92..a68cd2d3d 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ type IpfsNode struct {
 	Pinning pin.Pinner
 
 	ctxc.ContextCloser
+
+	online bool // alternatively, offline
 }
 
 // NewIpfsNode constructs a new IpfsNode based on the given config.
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ func NewIpfsNode(cfg *config.Config, online bool) (n *IpfsNode, err error) {
 	// derive this from a higher context.
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 	n = &IpfsNode{
+		online:        online,
 		Config:        cfg,
 		ContextCloser: ctxc.NewContextCloser(ctx, nil),
 	}
@@ -172,6 +175,10 @@ func NewIpfsNode(cfg *config.Config, online bool) (n *IpfsNode, err error) {
 	return n, nil
 }
 
+func (n *IpfsNode) Online() bool {
+	return n.online
+}
+
 func initIdentity(cfg *config.Config, peers peer.Peerstore, online bool) (peer.Peer, error) {
 	if cfg.Identity.PeerID == "" {
 		return nil, errors.New("Identity was not set in config (was ipfs init run?)")