diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/video/MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/video/MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java
index 2ab7e61378..7061521b53 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/video/MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/video/MediaCodecVideoRenderer.java
@@ -1638,6 +1638,11 @@ public class MediaCodecVideoRenderer extends MediaCodecRenderer {
     return surface;
   }
 
+  /** Returns true if the first frame has been rendered (playback has not necessarily begun). */
+  protected final boolean haveRenderedFirstFrame() {
+    return renderedFirstFrame;
+  }
+
   protected static final class CodecMaxValues {
 
     public final int width;