diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d320529..e7e12e6 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 
 name = "cpal"
-version = "0.2.4"
+version = "0.2.5"
 authors = ["Pierre Krieger <pierre.krieger1708@gmail.com>"]
 description = "Cross-platform audio playing library in pure Rust."
 repository = "https://github.com/tomaka/cpal"
diff --git a/src/alsa/mod.rs b/src/alsa/mod.rs
index 361a6de..bf79262 100644
--- a/src/alsa/mod.rs
+++ b/src/alsa/mod.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ impl Endpoint {
 pub struct Voice {
     channel: Mutex<*mut alsa::snd_pcm_t>,
     num_channels: u16,
+    buffer_len: usize,      // number of samples that can fit in the buffer
 }
 
 pub struct Buffer<'a, T> {
@@ -231,9 +232,18 @@ impl Voice {
 
             check_errors(alsa::snd_pcm_prepare(playback_handle)).unwrap();
 
+            let buffer_len = {
+                let obtained_params = HwParams::alloc();
+                check_errors(alsa::snd_pcm_hw_params_current(playback_handle, hw_params.0)).unwrap();
+                let mut val = mem::uninitialized();
+                check_errors(alsa::snd_pcm_hw_params_get_buffer_size(obtained_params.0, &mut val)).unwrap();
+                val as usize / format.data_type.get_sample_size()
+            };
+
             Ok(Voice {
                 channel: Mutex::new(playback_handle),
                 num_channels: format.channels.len() as u16,
+                buffer_len: buffer_len,
             })
         }
     }
@@ -264,6 +274,16 @@ impl Voice {
         unimplemented!()
     }
 
+    pub fn get_pending_samples(&self) -> usize {
+        let available = {
+            let channel = self.channel.lock().unwrap();
+            let available = unsafe { alsa::snd_pcm_avail(*channel) };
+            available * self.num_channels as alsa::snd_pcm_sframes_t
+        };
+
+        self.buffer_len - available as usize
+    }
+
     pub fn underflowed(&self) -> bool {
         false       // TODO: 
     }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index c2d42c5..df40aff 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -380,6 +380,16 @@ impl Voice {
         self.voice.pause()
     }
 
+    /// Returns the number of samples in the buffer that are currently being processed by the
+    /// audio playback backend.
+    ///
+    /// This function is useful to determine how much time it will take to finish playing the
+    /// current sound.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn get_pending_samples(&self) -> usize {
+        self.voice.get_pending_samples()
+    }
+
     /// Returns true if the voice has finished reading all the data you sent to it.
     #[inline]
     pub fn underflowed(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/null/mod.rs b/src/null/mod.rs
index ced23a8..0021a18 100644
--- a/src/null/mod.rs
+++ b/src/null/mod.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ impl Voice {
     pub fn pause(&mut self) {
     }
 
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn get_pending_samples(&self) -> usize {
+        unreachable!()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
     pub fn underflowed(&self) -> bool {
         false
     }
diff --git a/src/wasapi/voice.rs b/src/wasapi/voice.rs
index 789eeec..802d4d2 100644
--- a/src/wasapi/voice.rs
+++ b/src/wasapi/voice.rs
@@ -193,6 +193,15 @@ impl Voice {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn get_pending_samples(&self) -> usize {
+        unsafe {
+            let mut padding = mem::uninitialized();
+            let hresult = (*self.audio_client).GetCurrentPadding(&mut padding);
+            check_result(hresult).unwrap();
+            padding as usize
+        }
+    }
+
     #[inline]
     pub fn play(&mut self) {
         if !self.playing {