diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index f8a34e9bd..d4e483f5c 100755
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -1885,9 +1885,9 @@ Repository_list_worktrees(Repository *self, PyObject *args)
 }
 
 PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_apply__doc__,
-  "apply(id)\n"
+  "apply(diff or patch)\n"
   "\n"
-  "Applies the given id into HEAD.\n"
+  "Applies the given patch into HEAD.\n"
   "\n"
   "Applies a diff into HEAD, writing the results into the\n"
   "working directory.");
@@ -1907,6 +1907,27 @@ Repository_apply(Repository *self, PyObject *py_diff)
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_applies__doc__,
+  "applies(diff) -> bool\n"
+  "\n"
+  "Tests if the given patch will apply to HEAD, without writing it.");
+
+PyObject *
+Repository_applies(Repository *self, PyObject *py_diff)
+{
+    int err;
+    git_apply_location_t location = GIT_APPLY_LOCATION_INDEX;
+    git_apply_options options = GIT_APPLY_OPTIONS_INIT;
+    options.flags |= GIT_APPLY_CHECK;
+
+    err = git_apply(self->repo, ((Diff*)py_diff)->diff, location, &options);
+
+    if (err < 0)
+        Py_RETURN_FALSE;
+
+    Py_RETURN_TRUE;
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_set_odb__doc__,
   "set_odb(odb: Odb)\n"
   "\n"
@@ -1954,6 +1975,7 @@ PyMethodDef Repository_methods[] = {
     METHOD(Repository, merge, METH_O),
     METHOD(Repository, cherrypick, METH_O),
     METHOD(Repository, apply, METH_O),
+    METHOD(Repository, applies, METH_O),
     METHOD(Repository, create_reference_direct, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Repository, create_reference_symbolic, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Repository, compress_references, METH_NOARGS),
diff --git a/test/test_repository.py b/test/test_repository.py
index 4a20ad30d..8fe5bc470 100644
--- a/test/test_repository.py
+++ b/test/test_repository.py
@@ -300,6 +300,28 @@ def test_diff_patch(testrepo):
 
     assert content == new_content
 
+def test_diff_applies(testrepo):
+    new_content = ['bye world', 'adiós', 'au revoir monde']
+    new_content = ''.join(x + os.linesep for x in new_content)
+
+    # create the patch
+    with open(os.path.join(testrepo.workdir, 'hello.txt'), 'wb') as f:
+        f.write(new_content.encode('utf-8'))
+
+    patch = testrepo.diff().patch
+
+    # rollback all changes
+    testrepo.checkout('HEAD', strategy=pygit2.GIT_CHECKOUT_FORCE)
+
+    # apply the patch and compare
+    diff = pygit2.Diff.parse_diff(patch)
+    assert testrepo.applies(diff)
+
+    with open(os.path.join(testrepo.workdir, 'hello.txt'), 'rb') as f:
+        content = f.read().decode('utf-8')
+
+    assert content != new_content
+
 
 
 def test_default_signature(testrepo):