diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.c b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.c
index e57d831f0..5b23b917a 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.c
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.c
@@ -169,6 +169,15 @@ meta_wayland_single_pixel_buffer_free (MetaWaylandSinglePixelBuffer *single_pixe
   g_free (single_pixel_buffer);
 }
 
+gboolean
+meta_wayland_single_pixel_buffer_is_opaque_black (MetaWaylandSinglePixelBuffer *single_pixel_buffer)
+{
+  return (single_pixel_buffer->a == UINT32_MAX &&
+          single_pixel_buffer->r == 0x0 &&
+          single_pixel_buffer->g == 0x0 &&
+          single_pixel_buffer->b == 0x0);
+}
+
 void
 meta_wayland_init_single_pixel_buffer_manager (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor)
 {
diff --git a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.h b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.h
index a52166096..00af95a87 100644
--- a/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.h
+++ b/src/wayland/meta-wayland-single-pixel-buffer.h
@@ -35,3 +35,5 @@ MetaWaylandSinglePixelBuffer * meta_wayland_single_pixel_buffer_from_buffer (Met
 void meta_wayland_init_single_pixel_buffer_manager (MetaWaylandCompositor *compositor);
 
 void meta_wayland_single_pixel_buffer_free (MetaWaylandSinglePixelBuffer *single_pixel_buffer);
+
+gboolean meta_wayland_single_pixel_buffer_is_opaque_black (MetaWaylandSinglePixelBuffer *single_pixel_buffer);