diff --git a/src/AutoConnectCore.hpp b/src/AutoConnectCore.hpp
index dd9165fa..f47ba642 100644
--- a/src/AutoConnectCore.hpp
+++ b/src/AutoConnectCore.hpp
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ class AutoConnectCore {
   template<typename U = AUTOCONNECT_APPLIED_FILECLASS>
   bool  restoreCredential(const char* filename = "/" AC_IDENTIFIER, U& fs = AUTOCONNECT_APPLIED_FILESYSTEM);
 
+  bool portalAvailable() { return _portalAvailable; }
+
  protected:
   typedef enum {
     AC_RECONNECT_SET,
@@ -160,6 +162,8 @@ class AutoConnectCore {
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
   WiFiEventId_t _disconnectEventId = -1; /**< STA disconnection event handler registered id  */
 #endif
+  bool _portalAvailable = false; /** will be true when the portal is available **/
+
   /** Only available with ticker enabled */
   std::unique_ptr<AutoConnectTicker>  _ticker;
 
diff --git a/src/AutoConnectCoreImpl.hpp b/src/AutoConnectCoreImpl.hpp
index 3a691ace..44fb5812 100644
--- a/src/AutoConnectCoreImpl.hpp
+++ b/src/AutoConnectCoreImpl.hpp
@@ -1040,6 +1040,7 @@ template<typename T>
 void AutoConnectCore<T>::_startDNSServer(void) {
   // Boot DNS server, set up for captive portal redirection.
   if (!_dnsServer) {
+    _portalAvailable = true;
     _dnsServer.reset(new DNSServer());
     _dnsServer->setErrorReplyCode(DNSReplyCode::NoError);
     _dnsServer->start(AUTOCONNECT_DNSPORT, "*", WiFi.softAPIP());
@@ -1054,6 +1055,7 @@ void AutoConnectCore<T>::_startDNSServer(void) {
 template<typename T>
 void AutoConnectCore<T>::_stopDNSServer(void) {
   if (_dnsServer) {
+    _portalAvailable = false;
     _dnsServer->stop();
     _dnsServer.reset();
     AC_DBG("DNS server stopped\n");