diff --git a/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp b/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
index 8590a115c..48af70ea7 100644
--- a/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
+++ b/healthd/BatteryMonitor.cpp
@@ -340,6 +340,17 @@ bool BatteryMonitor::update(void) {
             props.chargerWirelessOnline;
 }
 
+int BatteryMonitor::getChargeStatus() {
+    int result = BATTERY_STATUS_UNKNOWN;
+    if (!mHealthdConfig->batteryStatusPath.isEmpty()) {
+        char buf[128];
+        if (readFromFile(mHealthdConfig->batteryStatusPath, buf, sizeof(buf)) > 0) {
+            result = getBatteryStatus(buf);
+        }
+    }
+    return result;
+}
+
 status_t BatteryMonitor::getProperty(int id, struct BatteryProperty *val) {
     status_t ret = BAD_VALUE;
 
diff --git a/healthd/include/healthd/BatteryMonitor.h b/healthd/include/healthd/BatteryMonitor.h
index 31c4e0920..440f2e44c 100644
--- a/healthd/include/healthd/BatteryMonitor.h
+++ b/healthd/include/healthd/BatteryMonitor.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class BatteryMonitor {
     BatteryMonitor();
     void init(struct healthd_config *hc);
     bool update(void);
+    int getChargeStatus();
     status_t getProperty(int id, struct BatteryProperty *val);
     void dumpState(int fd);