diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectService.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectService.java
index c3a3888e5b..1142c275f3 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectService.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectService.java
@@ -112,6 +112,14 @@ public interface WebProjectService
     @NotAuditable
     public WebProjectInfo createWebProject(WebProjectInfo wpInfo);
     
+    /**
+     * Determines whether the "Web Projects" container node is present.
+     * 
+     * @return true if the "Web Projects" container node is present
+     */
+    @NotAuditable
+    public boolean hasWebProjectsRoot();
+    
     /**
      * Returns the Web Projects container
      * 
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImpl.java
index ea5173ffa6..5a30bd33ca 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImpl.java
@@ -438,7 +438,39 @@ public class WebProjectServiceImpl extends WCMUtil implements WebProjectService
             throw new AccessDeniedException("Only content managers may delete webapp '"+webAppName+"' (web project: "+wpNodeRef+")");
         }
     }
+
+    /*
+     * @see org.alfresco.wcm.webproject.WebProjectService#hasWebProjectsRoot()
+     */
+    public boolean hasWebProjectsRoot()
+    {
+        boolean hasRoot = false;
         
+        // Get the root 'web projects' folder
+        ResultSet resultSet = null;
+        try
+        {
+            resultSet = this.searchService.query(WEBPROJECT_STORE, SearchService.LANGUAGE_LUCENE, "PATH:\""+getWebProjectsPath()+"\"");
+            if (resultSet.length() == 1)
+            {
+                hasRoot = true;
+            }
+            else if (resultSet.length() > 1 && logger.isWarnEnabled())
+            {
+                logger.warn("More than one root 'Web Projects' folder exists");
+            }
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            if (resultSet != null)
+            {
+                resultSet.close();
+            }
+        } 
+        
+        return hasRoot;
+    }
+    
     /**
      * Get the node reference that is the web projects root
      * 
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImplTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImplTest.java
index 874e9f7fe2..f79d8f2ad9 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImplTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/wcm/webproject/WebProjectServiceImplTest.java
@@ -142,6 +142,12 @@ public class WebProjectServiceImplTest extends AbstractWCMServiceImplTest
         }
     }
     
+    public void testHasWebProjectsRoot()
+    {
+        // make sure there is a "Web Projects" container node
+        assertTrue(wpService.hasWebProjectsRoot());
+    }
+    
     public void testCreateWebProjectSimple()
     {
         // Create a web project