diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h b/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h
index db5d425e9..aa0904533 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h
@@ -29,4 +29,7 @@ struct _MetaColorManagerClass
 
 CdClient * meta_color_manager_get_cd_client (MetaColorManager *color_manager);
 
+META_EXPORT_TEST
+gboolean meta_color_manager_is_ready (MetaColorManager *color_manager);
+
 #endif /* META_COLOR_MANAGER_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
index 6f7ac24bf..3bc31644e 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ typedef struct _MetaColorManagerPrivate
   GHashTable *devices;
 
   MetaDbusSettingsDaemonColor *gsd_color;
+
+  gboolean is_ready;
 } MetaColorManagerPrivate;
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaColorManager, meta_color_manager, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
@@ -203,6 +205,8 @@ cd_client_connect_cb (GObject      *source_object,
   g_signal_connect (monitor_manager, "monitors-changed-internal",
                     G_CALLBACK (on_monitors_changed),
                     color_manager);
+
+  priv->is_ready = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -367,3 +371,12 @@ meta_color_manager_get_color_device (MetaColorManager *color_manager,
   monitor_id = generate_monitor_id (monitor);
   return g_hash_table_lookup (priv->devices, monitor_id);
 }
+
+gboolean
+meta_color_manager_is_ready (MetaColorManager *color_manager)
+{
+  MetaColorManagerPrivate *priv =
+    meta_color_manager_get_instance_private (color_manager);
+
+  return priv->is_ready;
+}