diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4d0a79f..02af1d5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ The AID for your application must be passed as a variable when installing the pl
 - [hce.registerCommandCallback](hceregistercommandcallback)
 - [hce.sendResponse](hcesendresponse)
 - [hce.registerDeactivatedCallback](hceregisterdeactivatedcallback)
+- [hce.checkStatus](checkStatus)
 
 ## hce.registerCommandCallback
 
@@ -96,6 +97,20 @@ See [HostApduService.onDeactivated](http://developer.android.com/reference/andro
         console.log("Deactivated. Reason code = " + reason);
     }
 
+## hce.checkStatus
+
+Check if HCE is available and enabled.
+
+    hce.checkStatus(result);
+
+#### Parameters
+- __success__: Result callback function that is with result of the check
+- __failure__: Error callback function, invoked when error occurs. [optional]
+
+
+#### Description
+Function `checkStatus` allows your JavaScript code to check if HCE is available on the device and if NFC is turned ON.
+
 # HCE Util
 
 > The hce.util object provides utility function for APDU operations.
diff --git a/plugin.xml b/plugin.xml
index ade5786..5284df8 100644
--- a/plugin.xml
+++ b/plugin.xml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
         </config-file>
 
         <config-file target="AndroidManifest.xml" parent="/manifest">
-            <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.nfc.hce" android:required="true" />
+            <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.nfc.hce" android:required="false" />
             <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.NFC" />
 
         </config-file>
diff --git a/src/android/CordovaApduService.java b/src/android/CordovaApduService.java
index 4d1b63e..9d7428f 100644
--- a/src/android/CordovaApduService.java
+++ b/src/android/CordovaApduService.java
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 
 package com.megster.cordova.hce;
 
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.nfc.NfcAdapter;
+import android.nfc.NfcManager;
 import android.nfc.cardemulation.HostApduService;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -16,6 +19,11 @@ public class CordovaApduService extends HostApduService {
     private static HCEPlugin hcePlugin;
     private static CordovaApduService cordovaApduService;
 
+    public CordovaApduService() {
+        Log.i(TAG,"starting CordovaApduService");
+        cordovaApduService = this;
+    }
+
     static void setHCEPlugin(HCEPlugin _hcePlugin) {
         hcePlugin = _hcePlugin;
     }
@@ -83,6 +91,13 @@ public void onDeactivated(int reason) {
 
     }
 
+    static HCEPlugin.Status checkStatus() {
+        if (cordovaApduService != null) {
+
+        }
+        return HCEPlugin.Status.NOT_AVAILABLE;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Utility method to convert a byte array to a hexadecimal string.
      *
diff --git a/src/android/HCEPlugin.java b/src/android/HCEPlugin.java
index 17e91b4..74940a0 100644
--- a/src/android/HCEPlugin.java
+++ b/src/android/HCEPlugin.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 package com.megster.cordova.hce;
 
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
+import android.nfc.NfcAdapter;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import org.apache.cordova.CallbackContext;
@@ -18,11 +20,14 @@ public class HCEPlugin extends CordovaPlugin {
     private static final String REGISTER_COMMAND_CALLBACK = "registerCommandCallback";
     private static final String SEND_RESPONSE = "sendResponse";
     private static final String REGISTER_DEACTIVATED_CALLBACK = "registerDeactivatedCallback";
+    private static final String REGISTER_CHECK_STATUS = "checkStatus";
     private static final String TAG = "HCEPlugin";
 
     private CallbackContext onCommandCallback;
     private CallbackContext onDeactivatedCallback;
 
+
+
     @Override
     public boolean execute(String action, CordovaArgs args, CallbackContext callbackContext) throws JSONException {
 
@@ -58,6 +63,23 @@ public boolean execute(String action, CordovaArgs args, CallbackContext callback
             result.setKeepCallback(true);
             callbackContext.sendPluginResult(result);
 
+        } else if (action.equalsIgnoreCase(REGISTER_CHECK_STATUS)) {
+            Log.d(TAG, "REGISTER_CHECK_STATUS 1");
+
+            PackageManager pm = this.cordova.getActivity().getPackageManager();
+            Status st = Status.NOT_AVAILABLE;
+            if ( pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_NFC_HOST_CARD_EMULATION) ) {
+                st = Status.OFF;
+                NfcAdapter nfcAdapter = NfcAdapter.getDefaultAdapter(this.cordova.getActivity());
+                if (nfcAdapter.isEnabled()) {
+                    st = Status.OK;
+                }
+            }
+            PluginResult result = new PluginResult(PluginResult.Status.OK, st.toString());
+            Log.d(TAG, "REGISTER_CHECK_STATUS 2");
+            callbackContext.sendPluginResult(result);
+            Log.d(TAG, "REGISTER_CHECK_STATUS 3");
+
         } else {
 
             return false;
@@ -84,4 +106,10 @@ public void sendCommand(byte[] command) {
             onCommandCallback.sendPluginResult(result);
         }
     }
-}
+
+    public enum Status {
+        NOT_AVAILABLE,
+        OK,
+        OFF
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/www/hce.js b/www/hce.js
index f88c675..fa27452 100644
--- a/www/hce.js
+++ b/www/hce.js
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ module.exports = {
     // http://developer.android.com/reference/android/nfc/cardemulation/HostApduService.html#onDeactivated(int)
     registerDeactivatedCallback: function(success, failure) {
         cordova.exec(success, failure, 'HCE', 'registerDeactivatedCallback', []);
+    },
+
+    // Check HCE status
+    // The result callback will be called with parameter value one of: NOT_AVAILABLE, OK, OFF
+    checkStatus: function (result, failure) {
+        cordova.exec(result, failure, 'HCE', 'checkStatus', []);
     }
 
 };