diff --git a/portlist.cc b/portlist.cc
index 5cd7fa56e..4907bc6bd 100644
--- a/portlist.cc
+++ b/portlist.cc
@@ -567,11 +567,11 @@ void PortList::setIdStr(const char *id) {
 }
 
 
-int PortList::getStateCounts(int protocol, int state){
+int PortList::getStateCounts(int protocol, int state) const {
   return state_counts_proto[INPROTO2PORTLISTPROTO(protocol)][state];
 }
 
-int PortList::getStateCounts(int state){
+int PortList::getStateCounts(int state) const {
   int sum=0, proto;
   for(proto=0; proto < PORTLIST_PROTO_MAX; proto++)
     sum += getStateCounts(PORTLISTPROTO2INPROTO(proto), state);
@@ -873,6 +873,13 @@ int PortList::numPorts() const {
   return num;
 }
 
+/* Return true if any of the ports are potentially open. */
+bool PortList::hasOpenPorts() const {
+  return getStateCounts(PORT_OPEN) != 0 ||
+    getStateCounts(PORT_OPENFILTERED) != 0 ||
+    getStateCounts(PORT_UNFILTERED) != 0;
+}
+
 int PortList::setStateReason(u16 portno, u8 proto, reason_t reason, u8 ttl, u32 ip_addr) {
     Port *answer = NULL;
 
diff --git a/portlist.h b/portlist.h
index 470c99974..392d4426a 100644
--- a/portlist.h
+++ b/portlist.h
@@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ class PortList {
   int numscriptresults; /* Total number of scripts which produced output */
 
   /* Get number of ports in this state. This a sum for protocols. */
-  int getStateCounts(int state);
+  int getStateCounts(int state) const;
   /* Get number of ports in this state for requested protocol. */
-  int getStateCounts(int protocol, int state);
+  int getStateCounts(int protocol, int state) const;
 
   // sname should be NULL if sres is not
   // PROBESTATE_FINISHED_MATCHED. product,version, and/or extrainfo
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ class PortList {
   int numIgnoredStates();
   int numIgnoredPorts();
   int numPorts() const;
+  bool hasOpenPorts() const;
 
  private:
   bool mapPort(u16 *portno, u8 *protocol) const;