diff --git a/src/core/game_list.cpp b/src/core/game_list.cpp
index 56c41b81c..2017afa5d 100644
--- a/src/core/game_list.cpp
+++ b/src/core/game_list.cpp
@@ -689,6 +689,11 @@ void GameList::SetSearchDirectoriesFromSettings(SettingsInterface& si)
     m_search_directories.push_back({std::move(dir), true});
 }
 
+bool GameList::IsDatabasePresent() const
+{
+  return FileSystem::FileExists(m_database_filename.c_str());
+}
+
 void GameList::Refresh(bool invalidate_cache, bool invalidate_database)
 {
   if (invalidate_cache)
diff --git a/src/core/game_list.h b/src/core/game_list.h
index cd66b26e1..d80dd8ecf 100644
--- a/src/core/game_list.h
+++ b/src/core/game_list.h
@@ -65,8 +65,10 @@ public:
 
   void SetCacheFilename(std::string filename) { m_cache_filename = std::move(filename); }
   void SetDatabaseFilename(std::string filename) { m_database_filename = std::move(filename); }
-
   void SetSearchDirectoriesFromSettings(SettingsInterface& si);
+
+  bool IsDatabasePresent() const;
+
   void AddDirectory(std::string path, bool recursive);
   void Refresh(bool invalidate_cache, bool invalidate_database);