diff --git a/docs/Makefile.inc b/docs/Makefile.inc
index 5d5bb185..3645a7fc 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile.inc
+++ b/docs/Makefile.inc
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ MANPAGES = ares_cancel.3		\
   ares_parse_uri_reply.3		\
   ares_process.3			\
   ares_query.3				\
+  ares_queue.3				\
+  ares_queue_active_queries.3		\
   ares_queue_wait_empty.3		\
   ares_reinit.3				\
   ares_save_options.3			\
diff --git a/docs/ares_queue.3 b/docs/ares_queue.3
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1212e8d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/ares_queue.3
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+.\"
+.\" SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+.\"
+.TH ARES_QUEUE 3 "16 February 2024"
+.SH NAME
+ares_queue_wait_empty, ares_queue_active_queries \- Functions for checking the
+c-ares queue status
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.nf
+#include <ares.h>
+
+size_t ares_queue_active_queries(ares_channel_t *channel);
+
+ares_status_t ares_queue_wait_empty(ares_channel_t *channel,
+                                    int timeout_ms);
+.fi
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+The \fBares_queue_active_queries(3)\fP function retrieves the total number of
+active queries pending answers from servers. Some c-ares requests may spawn
+multiple queries, such as \fIares_getaddrinfo(3)\fP when using \fIAF_UNSPEC\fP,
+which will be reflected in this number. The \fBchannel\fP parameter must be set
+to an initialized channel.
+
+The \fBares_queue_wait_empty(3)\fP function blocks until notified that there are
+no longer any queries in queue, or the specified timeout has expired. The
+\fBchannel\fP parameter must be set to an initialized channel. The
+\fBtimeout_ms\fP parameter is the number of milliseconds to wait for the queue
+to be empty or -1 for Infinite.
+
+.SH RETURN VALUES
+\fIares_queue_active_queries(3)\fP returns the active query count.
+
+\fIares_queue_wait_empty(3)\fP can return any of the following values:
+.TP 14
+.B ARES_ENOTIMP
+if not built with threading support
+.TP 14
+.B ARES_ETIMEOUT
+if requested timeout expired
+.TP 14
+.B ARES_SUCCESS
+when queue is empty.
+.TP 14
+
+.SH AVAILABILITY
+This function was first introduced in c-ares version 1.27.0, and requires the
+c-ares library to be built with threading support.
+
+.SH SEE ALSO
+.BR ares_init_options (3),
+.BR ares_threadsafety (3)
+.SH AUTHOR
+Copyright (C) 2024 The c-ares project and its members.
diff --git a/docs/ares_queue_active_queries.3 b/docs/ares_queue_active_queries.3
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c16c69dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/ares_queue_active_queries.3
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.\" Copyright (C) 2024 The c-ares project and its contributors.
+.\" SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+.so man3/ares_queue.3
diff --git a/docs/ares_queue_wait_empty.3 b/docs/ares_queue_wait_empty.3
index 59038fdc..c16c69dd 100644
--- a/docs/ares_queue_wait_empty.3
+++ b/docs/ares_queue_wait_empty.3
@@ -1,44 +1,3 @@
-.\"
+.\" Copyright (C) 2024 The c-ares project and its contributors.
 .\" SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-.\"
-.TH ARES_QUEUE_WAIT_EMPTY 3 "12 February 2024"
-.SH NAME
-ares_queue_wait_empty \- Wait until all queries are complete for channel
-.SH SYNOPSIS
-.nf
-#include <ares.h>
-
-ares_status_t ares_queue_wait_empty(ares_channel_t *channel,
-                                    int timeout_ms);
-.fi
-.SH DESCRIPTION
-The \fBares_queue_wait_empty(3)\fP function blocks until notified that there are
-no longer any queries in queue, or the specified timeout has expired.
-
-The \fBchannel\fP parameter must be set to an initialized channel.
-
-The \fBtimeout_ms\fP parameter is the number of milliseconds to wait for the
-queue to be empty or -1 for Infinite.
-
-.SH RETURN VALUES
-\fIares_queue_wait_empty(3)\fP can return any of the following values:
-.TP 14
-.B ARES_ENOTIMP
-if not built with threading support
-.TP 14
-.B ARES_ETIMEOUT
-if requested timeout expired
-.TP 14
-.B ARES_SUCCESS
-when queue is empty.
-.TP 14
-
-.SH AVAILABILITY
-This function was first introduced in c-ares version 1.27.0, and requires the
-c-ares library to be built with threading support.
-
-.SH SEE ALSO
-.BR ares_init_options (3),
-.BR ares_threadsafety (3)
-.SH AUTHOR
-Copyright (C) 2024 The c-ares project and its members.
+.so man3/ares_queue.3
diff --git a/include/ares.h b/include/ares.h
index 32c0191b..d7588e7e 100644
--- a/include/ares.h
+++ b/include/ares.h
@@ -787,6 +787,15 @@ CARES_EXTERN ares_status_t ares_queue_wait_empty(ares_channel_t *channel,
                                                  int timeout_ms);
 
 
+/*! Retrieve the total number of active queries pending answers from servers.
+ *  Some c-ares requests may spawn multiple queries, such as ares_getaddrinfo()
+ *  when using AF_UNSPEC, which will be reflected in this number.
+ *
+ *  \param[in] channel Initialized ares channel
+ *  \return Number of active queries to servers
+ */
+CARES_EXTERN size_t ares_queue_active_queries(ares_channel_t *channel);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_send.c b/src/lib/ares_send.c
index 2510b1ed..d1885c44 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_send.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_send.c
@@ -163,3 +163,21 @@ void ares_send(ares_channel_t *channel, const unsigned char *qbuf, int qlen,
 
   ares__channel_unlock(channel);
 }
+
+
+size_t ares_queue_active_queries(ares_channel_t *channel)
+{
+  size_t len;
+
+  if (channel == NULL) {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  ares__channel_lock(channel);
+
+  len = ares__llist_len(channel->all_queries);
+
+  ares__channel_unlock(channel);
+
+  return len;
+}