diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/flex/FlexUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/flex/FlexUtil.as
index 62f0282d..7f1228bb 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/flex/FlexUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/flex/FlexUtil.as
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package com.threerings.flex {
 import mx.controls.Label;
 import mx.controls.Spacer;
 
+import mx.core.Container;
 import mx.core.UIComponent;
 
 /**
@@ -68,6 +69,21 @@ public class FlexUtil
         return spacer;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Return a count of how many visible (includeInLayout=true) children
+     * are in the specified container.
+     */
+    public static function countLayoutChildren (container :Container) :int
+    {
+        var layoutChildren :int = container.numChildren;
+        for each (var child :Object in container.getChildren()) {
+            if ((child is UIComponent) && !UIComponent(child).includeInLayout) {
+                layoutChildren--;
+            }
+        }
+        return layoutChildren;
+    }
+
     /**
      * In flex the 'visible' property controls visibility separate from whether
      * the component takes up space in the layout, which is controlled by 'includeInLayout'.