diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 6569837..6738ca1 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -1790,3 +1790,9 @@ jack_get_mhz (void)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+float
+jack_cpu_load (jack_client_t *client)
+{
+	return client->engine->cpu_load;
+}
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index be7f20c..190fd2a 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ AC_INIT(client.c)
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(.)
 
 JACK_MAJOR_VERSION=0
-JACK_MINOR_VERSION=25
-JACK_MICRO_VERSION=1
+JACK_MINOR_VERSION=26
+JACK_MICRO_VERSION=0
 
 BETA=
 
diff --git a/engine.c b/engine.c
index 763c90e..9f8f7ca 100644
--- a/engine.c
+++ b/engine.c
@@ -586,8 +586,11 @@ jack_process (jack_engine_t *engine, nframes_t nframes)
 				engine->spare_usecs = 0;
 			}
 
+			engine->control->cpu_load = (1.0f - (engine->spare_usecs / engine->driver->period_usecs)) * 100.0f;
+
 			if (engine->verbose) {
-				fprintf (stderr, "average usecs: %.3f, spare = %.3f\n", average_usecs, engine->spare_usecs);
+				fprintf (stderr, "load = %.4f average usecs: %.3f, spare = %.3f\n", 
+					 engine->control->cpu_load, average_usecs, engine->spare_usecs);
 			}
 		}
 	} 
@@ -1205,7 +1208,7 @@ jack_engine_new (int realtime, int rtpriority, int verbose)
 	engine->verbose = verbose;
 	engine->asio_mode = FALSE;
 	engine->cpu_mhz = jack_get_mhz();
-	
+
 	jack_engine_reset_rolling_usecs (engine);
 
 	pthread_mutex_init (&engine->client_lock, 0);
@@ -1278,6 +1281,7 @@ jack_engine_new (int realtime, int rtpriority, int verbose)
 	engine->control->port_max = engine->port_max;
 	engine->control->real_time = realtime;
 	engine->control->client_priority = engine->rtpriority - 1;
+	engine->control->cpu_load = 0;
  
 	engine->control->buffer_size = 0;
 	engine->control->time.frame_rate = 0;
diff --git a/jack/internal.h b/jack/internal.h
index 85a2c4c..933aa15 100644
--- a/jack/internal.h
+++ b/jack/internal.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ typedef struct {
     unsigned long       buffer_size;
     char                real_time;
     int                 client_priority;
+    float               cpu_load;
     unsigned long       port_max;
     jack_port_shared_t ports[0];
 
diff --git a/jack/jack.h b/jack/jack.h
index 2c36edf..d44e228 100644
--- a/jack/jack.h
+++ b/jack/jack.h
@@ -517,6 +517,12 @@ void jack_update_time (jack_client_t *, nframes_t);
 
 nframes_t jack_frames_since_cycle_start (jack_client_t *);
 
+/**
+ * This returns the current CPU load estimated by JACK
+ * as a percentage.
+ */
+float jack_cpu_load (jack_client_t *client);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif