diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index f77259b375..447e9776ad 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: tiledb
 Type: Package
-Version: 0.31.0.3
+Version: 0.31.0.4
 Title: Modern Database Engine for Complex Data Based on Multi-Dimensional Arrays
 Authors@R: c(
   person("TileDB, Inc.", role = c("aut", "cph")),
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 7c0686cb93..29f1cb29ba 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ export(tiledb_array_has_enumeration)
 export(tiledb_array_is_heterogeneous)
 export(tiledb_array_is_homogeneous)
 export(tiledb_array_is_open)
+export(tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading)
+export(tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing)
 export(tiledb_array_open)
 export(tiledb_array_open_at)
 export(tiledb_array_schema)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 2217402a1c..cc54b13a95 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 * Allow `parse_query_condition()` to work on dimensions when an array is passed
 * Add `tiledb_vfs_copy_dir()`, a wrapper for the `vfs_copy_dir()` function
 * Print values for `tiledb_schema_get_types()` and `tiledb_schema_get_names()` [#805](https://github.com/TileDB-Inc/TileDB-R/issues/805)
+* Add `tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading()/writing()` [#806](https://github.com/TileDB-Inc/TileDB-R/issues/806)
 
 # tiledb 0.31.0
 
diff --git a/R/Array.R b/R/Array.R
index debcada0ee..138ccf7737 100644
--- a/R/Array.R
+++ b/R/Array.R
@@ -136,6 +136,28 @@ tiledb_array_is_open <- function(arr) {
   libtiledb_array_is_open(arr@ptr)
 }
 
+##' Test if TileDB Array is open for reading
+##'
+##' @param arr A TileDB Array object as for example returned by `tiledb_array()`
+##' @return A boolean indicating whether the TileDB Array object is open, and
+##' the mode is "READ".
+##' @export
+tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading <- function(arr) {
+  stopifnot("The 'arr' argument must be a tiledb_array object" = .isArray(arr))
+  return(libtiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(arr@ptr))
+}
+
+##' Test if TileDB Array is open for writing
+##'
+##' @param arr A TileDB Array object as for example returned by `tiledb_array()`
+##' @return A boolean indicating whether the TileDB Array object is open, and
+##' the mode is "WRITE".
+##' @export
+tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing <- function(arr) {
+  stopifnot("The 'arr' argument must be a tiledb_array object" = .isArray(arr))
+  return(libtiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(arr@ptr))
+}
+
 ##' Check for Homogeneous Domain
 ##'
 ##' @param arr A TileDB Array object
diff --git a/inst/tinytest/test_tiledbarray.R b/inst/tinytest/test_tiledbarray.R
index e50d8720c5..cf42a8cd51 100644
--- a/inst/tinytest/test_tiledbarray.R
+++ b/inst/tinytest/test_tiledbarray.R
@@ -976,8 +976,12 @@ data <- c(1L, 2L, 3L)
 arr <- tiledb_array(uri = tmp)
 arr[I, J] <- data
 expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open(arr))
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(arr))
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(arr))
 arr <- tiledb_array_open(arr)
 expect_true(tiledb_array_is_open(arr))
+expect_true(tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(arr))
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(arr))
 expect_equal(tiledb_array_get_non_empty_domain_from_index(arr, 1), c(1, 3))
 expect_equal(tiledb_array_get_non_empty_domain_from_name(arr, "d1"), c(1, 3))
 expect_equal(tiledb_array_get_non_empty_domain_from_index(arr, 2), c("a", "c"))
@@ -1124,6 +1128,9 @@ schema <- tiledb_array_schema(tiledb_domain(dims=c(tiledb_dim("d1", c(1L, N), ti
                               attrs=tiledb_attr("x", type="FLOAT64"))
 tiledb_array_create(uri, schema)
 obj <- tiledb_array(uri, attrs="x", query_type="WRITE")
+# No tiledb_array_open yet, so, both false
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(obj))
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(obj))
 M <- matrix(runif(N*K), N, K)
 obj[] <- M                              # prior to #246 this write had a write data type
 chk <- tiledb_array(uri, return_as="matrix")
@@ -1578,6 +1585,8 @@ expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open(arr))
 arr <- tiledb_array(uri, keep_open=TRUE)
 res <- arr[]
 expect_true(tiledb_array_is_open(arr))
+expect_true(tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(arr))
+expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(arr))
 arr <- tiledb_array_close(arr)
 expect_false(tiledb_array_is_open(arr))
 
diff --git a/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading.Rd b/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0bdeb9d596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/Array.R
+\name{tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading}
+\alias{tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading}
+\title{Test if TileDB Array is open for reading}
+\usage{
+tiledb_array_is_open_for_reading(arr)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{arr}{A TileDB Array object as for example returned by \code{tiledb_array()}}
+}
+\value{
+A boolean indicating whether the TileDB Array object is open, and
+the mode is "READ".
+}
+\description{
+Test if TileDB Array is open for reading
+}
diff --git a/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing.Rd b/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ec0b1720d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/Array.R
+\name{tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing}
+\alias{tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing}
+\title{Test if TileDB Array is open for writing}
+\usage{
+tiledb_array_is_open_for_writing(arr)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{arr}{A TileDB Array object as for example returned by \code{tiledb_array()}}
+}
+\value{
+A boolean indicating whether the TileDB Array object is open, and
+the mode is "WRITE".
+}
+\description{
+Test if TileDB Array is open for writing
+}