diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a5e6df99..28372d75 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -149,3 +149,8 @@ required-features = ["has-can", "rt"]
 [[example]]
 name = "gpio_input"
 required-features = ["stm32f103"]
+
+[[example]]
+name = "serial-interrupt-idle"
+required-features = ["stm32f103", "rt", "medium"]
+default-target = "thumbv7m-none-eabi"
diff --git a/examples/serial-interrupt-idle.rs b/examples/serial-interrupt-idle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee6a6779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/serial-interrupt-idle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+//! Serial interface loopback test
+//!
+//! You have to short the TX and RX pins to make this program work
+
+#![no_main]
+#![no_std]
+
+use panic_halt as _;
+
+use cortex_m_rt::entry;
+use stm32f1xx_hal::{
+    pac,
+    pac::interrupt,
+    pac::USART1,
+    prelude::*,
+    serial::{Config, Rx, Serial, Tx},
+};
+
+static mut RX: Option<Rx<USART1>> = None;
+static mut TX: Option<Tx<USART1>> = None;
+#[entry]
+fn main() -> ! {
+    // Get access to the device specific peripherals from the peripheral access crate
+    let p = pac::Peripherals::take().unwrap();
+
+    // Take ownership over the raw flash and rcc devices and convert them into the corresponding
+    // HAL structs
+    let mut flash = p.FLASH.constrain();
+    let rcc = p.RCC.constrain();
+
+    // Freeze the configuration of all the clocks in the system and store the frozen frequencies in
+    // `clocks`
+    let clocks = rcc.cfgr.freeze(&mut flash.acr);
+
+    // Prepare the alternate function I/O registers
+    let mut afio = p.AFIO.constrain();
+
+    // Prepare the GPIOB peripheral
+    let mut gpiob = p.GPIOB.split();
+
+    // USART1
+    let tx = gpiob.pb6.into_alternate_push_pull(&mut gpiob.crl);
+    let rx = gpiob.pb7;
+
+    // Set up the usart device. Taks ownership over the USART register and tx/rx pins. The rest of
+    // the registers are used to enable and configure the device.
+    let (mut tx, mut rx) = Serial::usart1(
+        p.USART1,
+        (tx, rx),
+        &mut afio.mapr,
+        Config::default().baudrate(115200.bps()),
+        clocks,
+    )
+    .split();
+    tx.listen();
+    rx.listen();
+    rx.listen_idle();
+
+    cortex_m::interrupt::free(|_| unsafe {
+        TX.replace(tx);
+        RX.replace(rx);
+    });
+    unsafe {
+        cortex_m::peripheral::NVIC::unmask(pac::Interrupt::USART1);
+    }
+
+    loop {
+        cortex_m::asm::wfi()
+    }
+}
+const BUFFER_LEN: usize = 4096;
+static mut BUFFER: &mut [u8; BUFFER_LEN] = &mut [0; BUFFER_LEN];
+static mut WIDX: usize = 0;
+
+unsafe fn write(buf: &[u8]) {
+    if let Some(tx) = TX.as_mut() {
+        buf.iter()
+            .for_each(|w| if let Err(_err) = nb::block!(tx.write(*w)) {})
+    }
+}
+#[interrupt]
+unsafe fn USART1() {
+    cortex_m::interrupt::free(|_| {
+        if let Some(rx) = RX.as_mut() {
+            if rx.is_rxne() {
+                if let Ok(w) = nb::block!(rx.read()) {
+                    BUFFER[WIDX] = w;
+                    WIDX += 1;
+                    if WIDX >= BUFFER_LEN - 1 {
+                        write(&BUFFER[..]);
+                        WIDX = 0;
+                    }
+                }
+                rx.listen_idle();
+            } else if rx.is_idle() {
+                rx.unlisten_idle();
+                write(&BUFFER[0..WIDX]);
+                WIDX = 0;
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/src/serial.rs b/src/serial.rs
index e7b1527d..6dbbf4ac 100644
--- a/src/serial.rs
+++ b/src/serial.rs
@@ -342,6 +342,21 @@ where
         }
     }
 
+    /// Return true if the line idle status is set
+    pub fn is_idle(&self) -> bool {
+        self.usart.sr.read().idle().bit_is_set()
+    }
+
+    /// Return true if the tx register is empty (and can accept data)
+    pub fn is_txe(&self) -> bool {
+        self.usart.sr.read().txe().bit_is_set()
+    }
+
+    /// Return true if the rx register is not empty (and can be read)
+    pub fn is_rxne(&self) -> bool {
+        self.usart.sr.read().rxne().bit_is_set()
+    }
+
     /// Returns ownership of the borrowed register handles
     pub fn release(self) -> (USART, PINS) {
         (self.usart, self.pins)
@@ -418,6 +433,10 @@ macro_rules! hal {
             pub fn unlisten(&mut self) {
                 unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).cr1.modify(|_, w| w.txeie().clear_bit()) };
             }
+
+            pub fn is_txe(&self) -> bool {
+                unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).sr.read().txe().bit_is_set() }
+            }
         }
 
         impl Rx<$USARTX> {
@@ -428,6 +447,22 @@ macro_rules! hal {
             pub fn unlisten(&mut self) {
                 unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).cr1.modify(|_, w| w.rxneie().clear_bit()) };
             }
+
+            pub fn listen_idle(&mut self) {
+                unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).cr1.modify(|_, w| w.idleie().set_bit()) };
+            }
+
+            pub fn unlisten_idle(&mut self) {
+                unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).cr1.modify(|_, w| w.idleie().clear_bit()) };
+            }
+
+            pub fn is_idle(&self) -> bool {
+                unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).sr.read().idle().bit_is_set() }
+            }
+
+            pub fn is_rxne(&self) -> bool {
+                unsafe { (*$USARTX::ptr()).sr.read().rxne().bit_is_set() }
+            }
         }
 
         impl crate::hal::serial::Read<u8> for Rx<$USARTX> {