diff --git a/dumux/assembly/fvlocalresidual.hh b/dumux/assembly/fvlocalresidual.hh
index cb1a30e54111df61840953b9bcfe6a923360bfe4..700be086e9d4d9980bc734694c5e680f086a55b9 100644
--- a/dumux/assembly/fvlocalresidual.hh
+++ b/dumux/assembly/fvlocalresidual.hh
@@ -563,6 +563,10 @@ public:
     const TimeLoop& timeLoop() const
     { return *timeLoop_; }
 
+    //! returns true if the residual is stationary
+    bool isStationary() const
+    { return !timeLoop_; }
+
     // \}
 protected: