diff --git a/services/codec/src/api.rs b/services/codec/src/api.rs
index 3cefec0f5..c19f5fafe 100644
--- a/services/codec/src/api.rs
+++ b/services/codec/src/api.rs
@@ -44,10 +44,21 @@ pub(crate) enum Opcode {
     /// set headphone volume -- L&R channels are ganged together in this API, but codec can do separately
     SetHeadphoneVolume,
 
+    /// get headphone type code
+    GetHeadphoneCode,
+
     /// Suspend/resume callback
     SuspendResume,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, num_derive::FromPrimitive, num_derive::ToPrimitive)]
+pub enum HeadphoneState {
+    NotPresent = 0,
+    PresentWithMic = 1,
+    PresentWithoutMic = 2,
+    Reserved = 3,
+    CodecOff = 4,
+}
 
 #[derive(Debug, num_derive::FromPrimitive, num_derive::ToPrimitive)]
 pub enum VolumeOps {
diff --git a/services/codec/src/backend/tlv320aic3100.rs b/services/codec/src/backend/tlv320aic3100.rs
index 65f93a13e..041d00e40 100644
--- a/services/codec/src/backend/tlv320aic3100.rs
+++ b/services/codec/src/backend/tlv320aic3100.rs
@@ -310,7 +310,9 @@ impl Codec {
     pub fn get_headset_code(&mut self) -> u8 {
         self.w(0, &[0]);
         let mut code: [u8; 1] = [0; 1];
-        self.r(67, &mut code);
+        if !self.r(67, &mut code) {
+            log::warn!("headset code read unsuccessful");
+        };
         code[0]
     }
 
diff --git a/services/codec/src/lib.rs b/services/codec/src/lib.rs
index 28a7f429e..97e1b4e4c 100644
--- a/services/codec/src/lib.rs
+++ b/services/codec/src/lib.rs
@@ -142,6 +142,20 @@ impl Codec {
             _ => Err(xous::Error::InternalError)
         }
     }
+    pub fn poll_headphone_state(&self) -> Result<HeadphoneState, xous::Error> {
+        match send_message(self.conn,
+            Message::new_blocking_scalar(Opcode::GetHeadphoneCode.to_usize().unwrap(), 0, 0, 0, 0)
+        ) {
+            Ok(xous::Result::Scalar1(code)) => {
+                let retcode: Option<HeadphoneState> = FromPrimitive::from_usize(code);
+                match retcode {
+                    Some(code) => Ok(code),
+                    None => Err(xous::Error::InternalError),
+                }
+            }
+            _ => Err(xous::Error::InternalError)
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 use core::sync::atomic::{AtomicU32, Ordering};
diff --git a/services/codec/src/main.rs b/services/codec/src/main.rs
index d37153d47..545e845ac 100644
--- a/services/codec/src/main.rs
+++ b/services/codec/src/main.rs
@@ -218,6 +218,29 @@ fn main() -> ! {
                 };
                 codec.set_headphone_gain_db(headphone_analog_gain_db, headphone_analog_gain_db);
             }),
+            Some(api::Opcode::GetHeadphoneCode) => xous::msg_blocking_scalar_unpack!(msg, _, _, _, _, {
+                if codec.is_init() && codec.is_on() {
+                    let hp_code = codec.get_headset_code();
+                    if hp_code & 0x80 != 0x80 {
+                        log::warn!("Headphone detection polled, but detection is not enabled in hardware!");
+                    }
+                    log::debug!("headset code: 0x{:x}", hp_code);
+                    let code = if hp_code == 0xff { // kind of a hack, we could also check codec power state
+                        HeadphoneState::CodecOff
+                    } else {
+                        match (hp_code >> 5) & 0x3 {
+                            0b00 => HeadphoneState::NotPresent,
+                            0b01 => HeadphoneState::PresentWithoutMic,
+                            0b10 => HeadphoneState::Reserved,
+                            0b11 => HeadphoneState::PresentWithMic,
+                            _ => HeadphoneState::Reserved,
+                        }
+                    };
+                    xous::return_scalar(msg.sender, code as usize).ok();
+                } else {
+                    xous::return_scalar(msg.sender, HeadphoneState::CodecOff as usize).ok();
+                }
+            }),
             None => {
                 log::error!("couldn't convert opcode");
                 break