diff --git a/doc/api/child_process.md b/doc/api/child_process.md
index ad712eb8786f59..c90e206ca77cda 100644
--- a/doc/api/child_process.md
+++ b/doc/api/child_process.md
@@ -1434,6 +1434,34 @@ console.log(`Spawned child pid: ${grep.pid}`);
 grep.stdin.end();
 ```
 
+### `subprocess.hasRef()`
+
+<!-- YAML
+added: REPLACEME
+-->
+
+> Stability: 1 - Experimental
+
+* Returns: {boolean}
+
+Indicates whether a `subprocess` is "ref'ed" by the parent process's event
+loop. If `true`, the parent waits for the child to exit before exiting itself.
+
+```js
+const { spawn } = require('node:child_process');
+
+const subprocess = spawn(process.argv[0], ['child_program.js'], {
+  detached: true,
+  stdio: 'ignore',
+});
+
+subprocess.on('exit', (code) => {
+  subprocess.hasRef(); // false
+});
+
+subprocess.hasRef(); // true
+```
+
 ### `subprocess.ref()`
 
 <!-- YAML
diff --git a/lib/internal/child_process.js b/lib/internal/child_process.js
index 0e4cfc2ead2bf4..7154a3280fd51e 100644
--- a/lib/internal/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/internal/child_process.js
@@ -519,6 +519,11 @@ ChildProcess.prototype.unref = function() {
   if (this._handle) this._handle.unref();
 };
 
+
+ChildProcess.prototype.hasRef = function() {
+  return !!this._handle?.hasRef();
+};
+
 class Control extends EventEmitter {
   #channel = null;
   #refs = 0;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-hasref.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-hasref.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..fd8541a4c3539f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-hasref.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const common = require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const { spawn } = require('child_process');
+
+const command = common.isWindows ? 'dir' : 'ls';
+const child = spawn(command);
+
+assert.strictEqual(child.hasRef(), true);
+
+child.unref();
+assert.strictEqual(child.hasRef(), false);
+
+child.ref();
+assert.strictEqual(child.hasRef(), true);
+
+child.on(
+  'exit',
+  common.mustCall(() => assert.strictEqual(child.hasRef(), false)),
+);
+
+child.on(
+  'close',
+  common.mustCall(() => assert.strictEqual(child.hasRef(), false)),
+);