diff --git a/src/ai/ai_instance.cpp b/src/ai/ai_instance.cpp
index 2edb7db425..6d264abea4 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai_instance.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai_instance.cpp
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ void AIInstance::Died()
 
 void AIInstance::GameLoop()
 {
-	if (this->is_dead) return;
+	if (this->IsDead()) return;
 	if (this->engine->HasScriptCrashed()) {
 		/* The script crashed during saving, kill it here. */
 		this->Died();
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ void AIInstance::GameLoop()
 
 void AIInstance::CollectGarbage()
 {
-	if (this->is_started && !this->is_dead) this->engine->CollectGarbage();
+	if (this->is_started && !this->IsDead()) this->engine->CollectGarbage();
 }
 
 /* static */ void AIInstance::DoCommandReturn(AIInstance *instance)
diff --git a/src/ai/ai_instance.hpp b/src/ai/ai_instance.hpp
index 3ae3aa152a..2730e9bd94 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai_instance.hpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai_instance.hpp
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ public:
 	 */
 	class AIController *GetController() { return controller; }
 
+	/**
+	 * Return the "this AI died" value
+	 */
+	inline bool IsDead() { return this->is_dead; }
+
 	/**
 	 * Call the AI Save function and save all data in the savegame.
 	 */