diff --git a/firecracker.go b/firecracker.go
index caec29ef..87a5a29a 100644
--- a/firecracker.go
+++ b/firecracker.go
@@ -307,3 +307,12 @@ func (f *Client) PatchGuestDriveByID(ctx context.Context, driveID, pathOnHost st
 
 	return f.client.Operations.PatchGuestDriveByID(params)
 }
+
+// DescribeInstance is a wrapper for the swagger generated client to make
+// calling of the API easier.
+func (f *Client) DescribeInstance(ctx context.Context) (*ops.DescribeInstanceOK, error) {
+	params := ops.NewDescribeInstanceParams()
+	params.SetContext(ctx)
+
+	return f.client.Operations.DescribeInstance(params)
+}
diff --git a/firecracker_test.go b/firecracker_test.go
index c729a40c..d2a8a436 100644
--- a/firecracker_test.go
+++ b/firecracker_test.go
@@ -52,4 +52,8 @@ func TestClient(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := client.PutGuestDriveByID(ctx, "test", drive); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error on PutGuestDriveByID, %v", err)
 	}
+
+	if _, err := client.DescribeInstance(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error on DescribeInstance, %v", err)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/machine.go b/machine.go
index 97d6673b..475a7433 100644
--- a/machine.go
+++ b/machine.go
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
-	models "github.com/firecracker-microvm/firecracker-go-sdk/client/models"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	models "github.com/firecracker-microvm/firecracker-go-sdk/client/models"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -707,6 +708,23 @@ func (m *Machine) UpdateGuestDrive(ctx context.Context, driveID, pathOnHost stri
 	return nil
 }
 
+// IsRunning makes sure that a Firecracker instance is running and responds via API by
+// calling `DescribeInstance` endpoint behind.
+func (m *Machine) IsRunning(ctx context.Context) error {
+	instance, err := m.client.DescribeInstance(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	state := StringValue(instance.Payload.State)
+	switch state {
+	case models.InstanceInfoStateStarting, models.InstanceInfoStateRunning:
+		return nil
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid instance state: %q", state)
+	}
+}
+
 // refreshMachineConfiguration synchronizes our cached representation of the machine configuration
 // with that reported by the Firecracker API
 func (m *Machine) refreshMachineConfiguration() error {
diff --git a/machine_test.go b/machine_test.go
index 8bcbfeee..4c80474b 100644
--- a/machine_test.go
+++ b/machine_test.go
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ func TestMicroVMExecution(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("TestUpdateGuestDrive", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateGuestDrive(ctx, t, m) })
 	t.Run("TestUpdateGuestNetworkInterface", func(t *testing.T) { testUpdateGuestNetworkInterface(ctx, t, m) })
 	t.Run("TestStartInstance", func(t *testing.T) { testStartInstance(ctx, t, m) })
+	t.Run("IsRunning", func(t *testing.T) { testIsRunning(ctx, t, m) })
 
 	// Let the VMM start and stabilize...
 	timer := time.NewTimer(5 * time.Second)
@@ -691,6 +692,13 @@ func testGetMetadata(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, m *Machine) {
 	}
 }
 
+func testIsRunning(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, m *Machine) {
+	err := m.IsRunning(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("machine is expected to be running: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLogFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := Config{
 		Debug:           true,
diff --git a/machineiface.go b/machineiface.go
index 194eb6b3..9d38fdee 100644
--- a/machineiface.go
+++ b/machineiface.go
@@ -30,4 +30,5 @@ type MachineIface interface {
 	SetMetadata(context.Context, interface{}) error
 	UpdateGuestDrive(context.Context, string, string, ...PatchGuestDriveByIDOpt) error
 	UpdateGuestNetworkInterfaceRateLimit(context.Context, string, RateLimiterSet, ...PatchGuestNetworkInterfaceByIDOpt) error
+	IsRunning(ctx context.Context) error
 }