diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/BasicRunQueue.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/BasicRunQueue.java
index 74f35539..7871b006 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/BasicRunQueue.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/BasicRunQueue.java
@@ -45,19 +45,26 @@ public class BasicRunQueue extends LoopingThread
         _queue = new Queue<Runnable>();
     }
 
-    // documentation inherited from interface
+    // from interface RunQueue
     public void postRunnable (Runnable r)
     {
         _queue.append(r);
     }
 
-    // documentation inherited from interface
+    // from interface RunQueue
     public boolean isDispatchThread ()
     {
-        return Thread.currentThread() == this;
+        return Thread.currentThread() == _dispatcher;
     }
 
-    @Override
+    @Override // from LoopingThread
+    protected void willStart ()
+    {
+        super.willStart();
+        _dispatcher = Thread.currentThread();
+    }
+
+    @Override // from LoopingThread
     protected void iterate ()
     {
         Runnable r = _queue.get();
@@ -69,7 +76,7 @@ public class BasicRunQueue extends LoopingThread
         }
     }
 
-    @Override
+    @Override // from LoopingThread
     protected void kick ()
     {
         postRunnable(new Runnable() {
@@ -81,4 +88,8 @@ public class BasicRunQueue extends LoopingThread
 
     /** The queue of things to run. */
     protected Queue<Runnable> _queue;
+
+    /** Our dispatcher thread (may == this or may be something else if we're being used directly
+     * rather than in separate thread mode). */
+    protected Thread _dispatcher;
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/RunQueue.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/RunQueue.java
index dfeecd6c..f211c688 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/RunQueue.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/RunQueue.java
@@ -29,22 +29,29 @@ public interface RunQueue
 {
     /** A useful RunQueue that uses the AWT dispatch thread. */
     public static final RunQueue AWT = new RunQueue() {
-            public void postRunnable (Runnable r) {
-                EventQueue.invokeLater(r);
-            }
-
-            public boolean isDispatchThread () {
-                return EventQueue.isDispatchThread();
-            }
-        };
+        public void postRunnable (Runnable r) {
+            EventQueue.invokeLater(r);
+        }
+        public boolean isDispatchThread () {
+            return EventQueue.isDispatchThread();
+        }
+        public boolean isRunning () {
+            return true;
+        }
+    };
 
     /**
      * Post the specified Runnable to be run on the RunQueue.
      */
-    public void postRunnable (Runnable r);
+    void postRunnable (Runnable r);
 
     /**
      * @return true if the calling thread is the RunQueue dispatch thread.
      */
-    public boolean isDispatchThread ();
+    boolean isDispatchThread ();
+
+    /**
+     * @return true if this run queue is still processing runnables, false if it has been shutdown.
+     */
+    boolean isRunning ();
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/tests/SerialExecutorTest.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/tests/SerialExecutorTest.java
index f3ab28cb..1b3d8336 100644
--- a/src/java/com/samskivert/util/tests/SerialExecutorTest.java
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/util/tests/SerialExecutorTest.java
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@ public class SerialExecutorTest extends TestCase
         return Thread.currentThread() == _main;
     }
 
+    public boolean isRunning ()
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     public static Test suite ()
     {
         return new SerialExecutorTest();