diff --git a/quantumlayer/quantumlayer-emu-prng.go b/quantumlayer/quantumlayer-emu-prng.go
index 9417e5ff919cf7d27956898060d9286ce39c8384..169b5ecc6f599d271228140e73415eb33f747c0c 100644
--- a/quantumlayer/quantumlayer-emu-prng.go
+++ b/quantumlayer/quantumlayer-emu-prng.go
@@ -238,6 +238,10 @@ func (qlemuprng *QuantumlayerEmuPRNG) GetKeyBatchLocal() (QuantumLayerBulkKey, e
 	return qlemuprng.myNumbers.GetBulk()
 }
 
+func (qlemuprng *QuantumlayerEmuPRNG) GetStatus() (poweredOn bool) {
+	return qlemuprng.poweron
+}
+
 type NumberStore struct {
 	mu             sync.Mutex
 	maxBytes       int
diff --git a/quantumlayer/quantumlayer.go b/quantumlayer/quantumlayer.go
index 8c68e348f69f0fd705dd20ca307482751d968394..fc31056d9ffb37684e59ce2365bbb92c287f1ca4 100644
--- a/quantumlayer/quantumlayer.go
+++ b/quantumlayer/quantumlayer.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type QuantumLayer interface {
 	Configure(...string)                            // configure the interface, e.g., used IP/Port config if emulated
 	PowerOn()                                       // switch on the quantum layer element
 	PowerOff()                                      // switch off the quantum layer element
+	GetStatus() (poweredOn bool)                    // returns true if quantum layer element is powered on
 	AddPeer()                                       // Adds a Quantum Layer Peer to the peer list
 	RemovePeer()                                    // Remmoves a Quantum Layer Peer to the peer list
 	GetLocalQLPort()                                // Returns the information about the local quantum layer IP and port