diff --git a/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h b/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
index 3b780609..b1ce4793 100644
--- a/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
+++ b/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ struct {								\
 	(a_head)->qlh_first = NULL;					\
 } while (0)
 
+#define ql_empty(a_head) ((a_head)->qlh_first == NULL)
+
 #define ql_elm_new(a_elm, a_field) qr_new((a_elm), a_field)
 
 #define ql_first(a_head) ((a_head)->qlh_first)
diff --git a/test/unit/ql.c b/test/unit/ql.c
index 662d1e8b..8f689389 100644
--- a/test/unit/ql.c
+++ b/test/unit/ql.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ test_empty_list(list_head_t *head) {
 	list_t *t;
 	unsigned i;
 
+	expect_true(ql_empty(head), "Unexpected element for empty list");
 	expect_ptr_null(ql_first(head), "Unexpected element for empty list");
 	expect_ptr_null(ql_last(head, link),
 	    "Unexpected element for empty list");
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ test_entries_list(list_head_t *head, list_t *entries, unsigned nentries) {
 	list_t *t;
 	unsigned i;
 
+	expect_false(ql_empty(head), "List should not be empty");
 	expect_c_eq(ql_first(head)->id, entries[0].id, "Element id mismatch");
 	expect_c_eq(ql_last(head, link)->id, entries[nentries-1].id,
 	    "Element id mismatch");