diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp
index f58fcd50e..2a903ffb7 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel.hpp
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ namespace Opm {
             bool forceShutWellByNameIfPredictionMode(const std::string& wellname, const double simulation_time);
 
             double wellPI(int well_index) const;
+            bool hasWell(const std::string& wname);
         protected:
             Simulator& ebosSimulator_;
 
diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel_impl.hpp b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel_impl.hpp
index 12b98d9b3..bb7b0f069 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel_impl.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/BlackoilWellModel_impl.hpp
@@ -1726,6 +1726,15 @@ namespace Opm {
     }
 
 
+    template<typename TypeTag>
+    bool
+    BlackoilWellModel<TypeTag>::
+    hasWell(const std::string& wname) {
+        auto iter = std::find_if( this->wells_ecl_.begin(), this->wells_ecl_.end(), [&wname](const Well& well) { return well.name() == wname; });
+        return (iter != this->wells_ecl_.end());
+    }
+
+
     // convert well data from opm-common to well state from opm-core
     template<typename TypeTag>
     void