diff --git a/lib/merb-core.rb b/lib/merb-core.rb
index 8c4c3d0c..e5bea48b 100644
--- a/lib/merb-core.rb
+++ b/lib/merb-core.rb
@@ -235,6 +235,18 @@ def testing?
       $TESTING || Merb::Config[:testing]
     end
 
+    # Ask the question about which environment you're in.
+    # ==== Parameters
+    # env<Symbol, String>:: Name of the environment to query
+    # 
+    # ==== Examples
+    # Merb.env #=> production
+    # Merb.env?(:production) #=> true
+    # Merb.env?(:development) #=> false
+    def env?(env)
+      Merb.env == env.to_s
+    end
+
     # If block was given configures using the block.
     #
     # ==== Parameters
@@ -299,6 +311,10 @@ def add_rakefiles(*rakefiles)
       @rakefiles ||= ['merb-core/test/tasks/spectasks']
       @rakefiles += rakefiles
     end
+    
+    
+    
+    
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/public/core/merb_core_spec.rb b/spec/public/core/merb_core_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4ac9f41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/public/core/merb_core_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "..", "spec_helper")
+
+describe "Merb.env helpers" do
+  before(:all) do
+    @orig_env = Merb.environment
+  end
+  after(:all) do
+    Merb.environment = @orig_env
+  end
+  
+  it "should pickup the environment from env" do
+    %w(development test production staging demo).each do |e|
+      Merb.environment = e
+      Merb.env.should == e
+    end
+  end
+  
+  it "should correctly answer the question about which env it's in with symbol or string" do
+    %w(development test production staging demo custom).each do |e|
+      Merb.environment = e
+      Merb.env?(e).should be true
+      Merb.env?(e.to_sym).should be_true
+    end
+  end
+  
+  it "should answer false if asked for an environment that is not current" do
+    %w(development test production staging demo custom).each do |e|
+      Merb.environment = e
+      Merb.env?(:not_it).should be_false
+    end
+  end
+  
+  
+end
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