diff --git a/base/exports.jl b/base/exports.jl
index 12d11601aa034..9453a11824fe0 100644
--- a/base/exports.jl
+++ b/base/exports.jl
@@ -655,6 +655,8 @@ export
 # tasks and conditions
     Condition,
     current_task,
+    root_task,
+    isroottask,
     islocked,
     istaskdone,
     istaskstarted,
diff --git a/base/task.jl b/base/task.jl
index b717a31bdb156..43537bfae10ec 100644
--- a/base/task.jl
+++ b/base/task.jl
@@ -119,6 +119,24 @@ Get the currently running [`Task`](@ref).
 """
 current_task() = ccall(:jl_get_current_task, Ref{Task}, ())
 
+"""
+    root_task()
+
+Get the initial [`Task`](@ref). Compare to [`current_task`](@ref) above to see
+if the current [`Task`](@ref) is the root [`Task`](@ref). This may be important
+for interoperability with other languages or native libraries.
+"""
+root_task() = roottask
+# Alternatively, consider exposing :jl_get_root_task
+
+"""
+    isroottask(task::Task = current_task())
+
+Test if the current or optionally passed [`Task`](@ref) is the root `Task`.
+Returns true if the current or given `Task` is the root `Task`.
+"""
+isroottask(task::Task = current_task()) = Base.roottask === task
+
 """
     istaskdone(t::Task) -> Bool
 
diff --git a/doc/src/base/parallel.md b/doc/src/base/parallel.md
index 453cd4562ba2c..4a634b55095bd 100644
--- a/doc/src/base/parallel.md
+++ b/doc/src/base/parallel.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ Base.asyncmap
 Base.asyncmap!
 Base.fetch(t::Task)
 Base.current_task
+Base.root_task
+Base.isroottask
 Base.istaskdone
 Base.istaskstarted
 Base.istaskfailed