diff --git a/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto b/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
index 3021a71514..e5438182a1 100644
--- a/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
+++ b/api/proto/board/board_commands.proto
@@ -189,6 +189,42 @@ message PadShapeAsPolygonResponse
   repeated kiapi.common.types.PolygonWithHoles polygons = 2;
 }
 
+// Tests if the given set of items with padstacks (pads or vias) has content on the given set of layers.
+// This is a dynamic call rather than a property of the padstack because pads and vias can be set to only include
+// shapes on connected copper layers, and whether or not the pad is connected can't be determined in isolation.
+// To optimize API call performance, multiple items and multiple layers to test may be passed in with this
+// command message.  The return will include the results for each valid item on each valid layer.
+// Note that not all layers make sense for a given item (for example, testing against BL_UNDEFINED never makes
+// sense).  In general, the internal KiCad APIs will not return an error when testing non-sensical layers for a given
+// item, and instead will return a default of "true" for any such layers.
+message CheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.DocumentSpecifier board = 1;
+
+  repeated kiapi.common.types.KIID items = 2;
+
+  repeated kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layers = 3;
+}
+
+enum PadstackPresence
+{
+  PSP_UNKNOWN = 0;
+  PSP_PRESENT = 1;      // The padstack has a shape on a given layer (is flashed)
+  PSP_NOT_PRESENT = 2;  // The padstack has no shape on a given layer (is not flashed)
+}
+
+message PadstackPresenceEntry
+{
+  kiapi.common.types.KIID item = 1;
+  kiapi.board.types.BoardLayer layer = 2;
+  PadstackPresence presence = 3;
+}
+
+message PadstackPresenceResponse
+{
+  repeated PadstackPresenceEntry entries = 1;
+}
+
 // PCB editor commands
 
 // returns BoardLayers
diff --git a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
index bd6c0fbf0d..d47b8b12fd 100644
--- a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ API_HANDLER_PCB::API_HANDLER_PCB( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* aFrame ) :
             &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetBoundingBox );
     registerHandler<GetPadShapeAsPolygon, PadShapeAsPolygonResponse>(
             &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetPadShapeAsPolygon );
+    registerHandler<CheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers, PadstackPresenceResponse>(
+            &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleCheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers );
     registerHandler<GetTitleBlockInfo, types::TitleBlockInfo>(
             &API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetTitleBlockInfo );
     registerHandler<ExpandTextVariables, ExpandTextVariablesResponse>(
@@ -1056,6 +1058,73 @@ HANDLER_RESULT<PadShapeAsPolygonResponse> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetPadShapeAsPo
 }
 
 
+HANDLER_RESULT<PadstackPresenceResponse> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleCheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers(
+        const HANDLER_CONTEXT<CheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers>& aCtx )
+{
+    using board::types::BoardLayer;
+
+    if( HANDLER_RESULT<bool> documentValidation = validateDocument( aCtx.Request.board() );
+        !documentValidation )
+    {
+        return tl::unexpected( documentValidation.error() );
+    }
+
+    PadstackPresenceResponse response;
+
+    LSET layers;
+
+    for( const int layer : aCtx.Request.layers() )
+        layers.set( FromProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID, BoardLayer>( static_cast<BoardLayer>( layer ) ) );
+
+    for( const types::KIID& padRequest : aCtx.Request.items() )
+    {
+        KIID id( padRequest.value() );
+        std::optional<BOARD_ITEM*> optItem = getItemById( id );
+
+        if( !optItem )
+            continue;
+
+        switch( ( *optItem )->Type() )
+        {
+        case PCB_PAD_T:
+        {
+            PAD* pad = static_cast<PAD*>( *optItem );
+
+            for( PCB_LAYER_ID layer : layers )
+            {
+                PadstackPresenceEntry* entry = response.add_entries();
+                entry->mutable_item()->set_value( pad->m_Uuid.AsStdString() );
+                entry->set_layer( ToProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID, BoardLayer>( layer ) );
+                entry->set_presence( pad->FlashLayer( layer ) ? PSP_PRESENT : PSP_NOT_PRESENT );
+            }
+
+            break;
+        }
+
+        case PCB_VIA_T:
+        {
+            PCB_VIA* via = static_cast<PCB_VIA*>( *optItem );
+
+            for( PCB_LAYER_ID layer : layers )
+            {
+                PadstackPresenceEntry* entry = response.add_entries();
+                entry->mutable_item()->set_value( via->m_Uuid.AsStdString() );
+                entry->set_layer( ToProtoEnum<PCB_LAYER_ID, BoardLayer>( layer ) );
+                entry->set_presence( via->FlashLayer( layer ) ? PSP_PRESENT : PSP_NOT_PRESENT );
+            }
+
+            break;
+        }
+
+        default:
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return response;
+}
+
+
 HANDLER_RESULT<types::TitleBlockInfo> API_HANDLER_PCB::handleGetTitleBlockInfo(
         const HANDLER_CONTEXT<GetTitleBlockInfo>& aCtx )
 {
diff --git a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
index e02626dfd5..c44b0a0a36 100644
--- a/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
+++ b/pcbnew/api/api_handler_pcb.h
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ private:
     HANDLER_RESULT<PadShapeAsPolygonResponse> handleGetPadShapeAsPolygon(
             const HANDLER_CONTEXT<GetPadShapeAsPolygon>& aCtx );
 
+    HANDLER_RESULT<PadstackPresenceResponse> handleCheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers(
+            const HANDLER_CONTEXT<CheckPadstackPresenceOnLayers>& aCtx );
+
     HANDLER_RESULT<types::TitleBlockInfo> handleGetTitleBlockInfo(
             const HANDLER_CONTEXT<commands::GetTitleBlockInfo>& aCtx );