diff --git a/src/IECorePython/RefCountedBinding.cpp b/src/IECorePython/RefCountedBinding.cpp
index 56d0fd002e..43ba18730c 100644
--- a/src/IECorePython/RefCountedBinding.cpp
+++ b/src/IECorePython/RefCountedBinding.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ void bindRefCounted()
 		.def( "__ne__", notEqual )
 		.def( "__hash__", hash )
 		.def( "isSame", &is )
+		.def( "refCount", &RefCounted::refCount )
 		.def( "numWrappedInstances", &WrapperGarbageCollector::numWrappedInstances ).staticmethod( "numWrappedInstances" )
 		.add_static_property( "garbageCollectionThreshold", &WrapperGarbageCollector::getCollectThreshold, &WrapperGarbageCollector::setCollectThreshold )
 		.def( "collectGarbage", &WrapperGarbageCollector::collect ).staticmethod( "collectGarbage" )
diff --git a/test/IECore/RefCountedTest.py b/test/IECore/RefCountedTest.py
index 1b2aa6dc66..366b07739d 100644
--- a/test/IECore/RefCountedTest.py
+++ b/test/IECore/RefCountedTest.py
@@ -151,5 +151,18 @@ def testUseAsKey( self ) :
 		self.assertEqual( d[p2], "p2" )
 		self.assertEqual( d[c["p2"]], "p2" )
 
+	def testRefCount( self ) :
+	
+		c = IECore.CompoundData()
+		i = IECore.IntData( 10 )
+		
+		r = i.refCount()
+		
+		c["i"] = i
+		self.assertEqual( i.refCount(), r + 1 )
+		
+		del c["i"]
+		self.assertEqual( i.refCount(), r )
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()