diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 583de91..d75c2cc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,26 @@ The SDK for Python applications for [https://www.flagsmith.com/](https://www.fla
 For full documentation visit
 [https://docs.flagsmith.com/clients/server-side?language=python](https://docs.flagsmith.com/clients/server-side?language=python).
 
+## Checking client readiness
+
+`flagsmith.ready()` returns whether the client has an environment document available for local or offline evaluation. It
+makes no network requests and does not block. Remote-evaluation clients return `True` immediately; readiness does not
+indicate API connectivity or document freshness.
+
+If the initial local-evaluation fetch fails and no document is available, clients with realtime updates disabled are not
+ready until the background poller loads a document. With realtime updates enabled, construction raises `ValueError`
+instead. A later refresh failure keeps the last successful document available, so readiness remains `True`.
+
+Check readiness before evaluating flags to avoid the existing remote API fallback while the first local document is
+unavailable:
+
+```python
+if flagsmith.ready():
+    enabled = flagsmith.get_environment_flags().is_feature_enabled("feature")
+else:
+    enabled = False  # Application-defined fallback while waiting for a document.
+```
+
 ## Contributing
 
 Please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details on our code of conduct, and the process for submitting pull
diff --git a/flagsmith/flagsmith.py b/flagsmith/flagsmith.py
index f50ceec..9328011 100644
--- a/flagsmith/flagsmith.py
+++ b/flagsmith/flagsmith.py
@@ -275,6 +275,18 @@ def handle_stream_event(self, event: StreamEvent) -> None:
         if event["updated_at"] > environment_updated_at:
             self.update_environment()
 
+    def ready(self) -> bool:
+        """Return whether the client can evaluate in its configured mode.
+
+        Local and offline evaluation require an environment document. Remote
+        evaluation is immediately ready; this does not check API connectivity.
+        This method does not make requests or wait for a document to load.
+        """
+        return (
+            not (self.enable_local_evaluation or self.offline_mode)
+            or self._local_evaluation is not None
+        )
+
     def get_environment_flags(self) -> Flags:
         """
         Get all the default for flags for the current environment.
diff --git a/tests/test_flagsmith.py b/tests/test_flagsmith.py
index 7998c23..0b79fee 100644
--- a/tests/test_flagsmith.py
+++ b/tests/test_flagsmith.py
@@ -23,6 +23,41 @@
 from flagsmith.types import SDKEvaluationContext
 
 
+@responses.activate()
+def test_ready_tracks_local_document_availability(
+    mocker: MockerFixture, environment_json: str
+) -> None:
+    mocker.patch("flagsmith.flagsmith.EnvironmentDataPollingManager")
+    url = "https://edge.api.flagsmith.com/api/v1/environment-document/"
+    responses.get(url, status=500)
+    responses.get(url, body=environment_json)
+    responses.get(url, status=500)
+    client = Flagsmith(environment_key="ser.test", enable_local_evaluation=True)
+
+    assert client.ready() is False
+    assert len(responses.calls) == 1
+    client.update_environment()
+    assert client.ready() is True
+    client.update_environment()
+    assert client.ready() is True
+    assert len(responses.calls) == 3
+
+
+def test_ready_remote_evaluation(flagsmith: Flagsmith) -> None:
+    assert flagsmith.ready() is True
+
+
+def test_ready_offline_document(
+    mocker: MockerFixture, environment: EnvironmentModel
+) -> None:
+    handler = mocker.Mock(spec=OfflineHandler)
+    handler.get_environment.return_value = environment
+    client = Flagsmith(offline_mode=True, offline_handler=handler)
+
+    assert client.ready() is True
+    assert client.get_environment_flags().is_feature_enabled("some_feature")
+
+
 def test_flagsmith_starts_polling_manager_on_init_if_enabled(
     mocker: MockerFixture, server_api_key: str, requests_session_response_ok: None
 ) -> None: