Index: Python/sysmodule.c
===================================================================
--- Python/sysmodule.c	(revision 59545)
+++ Python/sysmodule.c	(working copy)
@@ -397,6 +397,28 @@
 );
 
 static PyObject *
+sys_gettrace(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+	PyThreadState *tstate = PyThreadState_GET();
+	PyObject *temp = tstate->c_traceobj;
+
+	if (temp == NULL) {
+	  temp = Py_None;
+	}
+
+	Py_XINCREF(temp);
+
+	return temp;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(gettrace_doc,
+"gettrace()\n\
+\n\
+Return the global debug tracing function set by sys.settrace.\n\
+See the debugger chapter in the library manual."
+);
+
+static PyObject *
 sys_setprofile(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
 	if (trace_init() == -1)
@@ -798,6 +820,7 @@
 	{"settscdump", sys_settscdump, METH_VARARGS, settscdump_doc},
 #endif
 	{"settrace",	sys_settrace, METH_O, settrace_doc},
+	{"gettrace",	sys_gettrace, METH_NOARGS, gettrace_doc},
 	{"call_tracing", sys_call_tracing, METH_VARARGS, call_tracing_doc},
 	{NULL,		NULL}		/* sentinel */
 };
Index: Doc/library/sys.rst
===================================================================
--- Doc/library/sys.rst	(revision 59545)
+++ Doc/library/sys.rst	(working copy)
@@ -353,7 +353,23 @@
 
    This function should be used for internal and specialized purposes only.
 
+.. function:: gettrace()
 
+   .. index::
+      single: trace function
+      single: debugger
+
+   Get the trace function as set by :func:`settrace`.
+
+   .. note::
+
+      The :func:`gettrace` function is intended only for implementing debuggers,
+      profilers, coverage tools and the like. Its behavior is part of the
+      implementation platform, rather than part of the language definition, and thus
+      may not be available in all Python implementations.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 2.6
+
 .. function:: getwindowsversion()
 
    Return a tuple containing five components, describing the Windows version
Index: Lib/test/test_trace.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_trace.py	(revision 59545)
+++ Lib/test/test_trace.py	(working copy)
@@ -268,6 +268,20 @@
         self.compare_events(func.func_code.co_firstlineno,
                             tracer.events, func.events)
 
+    def set_and_retrieve_none(self):
+        sys.settrace(None)
+        assert sys.gettrace() is None
+
+    def set_and_retrieve_func(self):
+        def fn(*args):
+            pass
+        
+        sys.settrace(fn)
+        try:
+            assert sys.gettrace() is fn
+        finally:
+            sys.settrace(None)
+
     def test_01_basic(self):
         self.run_test(basic)
     def test_02_arigo(self):