diff --git a/include/wx/image.h b/include/wx/image.h
index 0b7cc551b2..18ac41ad0f 100644
--- a/include/wx/image.h
+++ b/include/wx/image.h
@@ -290,10 +290,12 @@ public:
   unsigned char GetGreen( int x, int y );
   unsigned char GetBlue( int x, int y );
 
+  static bool CanRead( const wxString& name );
   virtual bool LoadFile( const wxString& name, long type = wxBITMAP_TYPE_ANY );
   virtual bool LoadFile( const wxString& name, const wxString& mimetype );
 
 #if wxUSE_STREAMS
+  static bool CanRead( wxInputStream& stream );
   virtual bool LoadFile( wxInputStream& stream, long type = wxBITMAP_TYPE_ANY );
   virtual bool LoadFile( wxInputStream& stream, const wxString& mimetype );
 #endif
diff --git a/src/common/image.cpp b/src/common/image.cpp
index 3679c78d03..05344a678f 100644
--- a/src/common/image.cpp
+++ b/src/common/image.cpp
@@ -437,7 +437,31 @@ bool wxImage::SaveFile( const wxString& filename, const wxString& mimetype )
         return FALSE;
 }
 
+bool wxImage::CanRead( const wxString &name )
+{
 #if wxUSE_STREAMS
+  wxFileInputStream stream(name);
+  return CanRead(stream);
+#else
+  return FALSE;
+#endif
+}
+
+#if wxUSE_STREAMS
+
+bool wxImage::CanRead( wxInputStream &stream )
+{
+  wxList &list=GetHandlers();
+  
+  for ( wxList::Node *node = list.GetFirst(); node; node = node->GetNext() )
+    {  
+      wxImageHandler *handler=(wxImageHandler*)node->GetData();
+      if (handler->CanRead( stream ))
+	return TRUE;
+    }
+
+  return FALSE;
+}
 
 bool wxImage::LoadFile( wxInputStream& stream, long type )
 {