diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/base.py b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/base.py
index 10a6c489783..465ff791bfb 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/base.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/base.py
@@ -311,6 +311,15 @@ def installer(self) -> str:
                 return cleaned_line
         return ""
 
+    @property
+    def requested(self) -> bool:
+        try:
+            self.read_text("REQUESTED")
+        except (OSError, ValueError, NoneMetadataError):
+            return False
+        else:
+            return True
+
     @property
     def editable(self) -> bool:
         return bool(self.editable_project_location)