diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b0d1aa9..8616138 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
     os.path.join(src_test_py_dir, 'jpy_obj_test.py'),
     os.path.join(src_test_py_dir, 'jpy_eval_exec_test.py'),
     os.path.join(src_test_py_dir, 'jpy_mt_eval_exec_test.py'),
+    os.path.join(src_test_py_dir, 'jpy_gil_test.py'),
 ]
 
 # e.g. jdk_home_dir = '/home/marta/jdk1.7.0_15'
diff --git a/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.c b/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.c
index 45f9641..28c2b23 100644
--- a/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.c
+++ b/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.c
@@ -149,6 +149,71 @@ JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_jpy_PyLib_isPythonRunning
     return init && JPy_Module != NULL;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Class:     org_jpy_PyLib
+ * Method:    isGILEnabled
+ * Signature: ()Z
+ */
+JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_jpy_PyLib_isGILEnabled
+  (JNIEnv* jenv, jclass jLibClass)
+{
+    // Check if the GIL is enabled at runtime. This is important for Python 3.13+ free-threaded builds
+    // where the GIL can be enabled with PYTHON_GIL=1 or when importing an extension module not declared as safe without
+    // the GIL.
+    // For standard Python builds (non-free-threaded), the GIL is always enabled.
+
+    #ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
+       // Py_GIL_DISABLED indicates this is a free-threaded build that supports running without the GIL.
+       // We need to acquire the GIL before calling Python C API functions, even when checking if the GIL
+       // is enabled. This is because the Python C API is not thread-safe without the GIL.
+       //
+       // We call Python's sys._is_gil_enabled() instead of attempting to use internal C API functions.
+       // While Python 3.13+ has internal functions for checking GIL status, they are not part of the
+       // stable/public C API and might require including internal headers (e.g., pycore_*.h files).
+       // The sys._is_gil_enabled() function is the documented, stable way to check GIL status from both
+       // Python code and C extensions in Python 3.13+ free-threaded builds.
+
+       jboolean result = JNI_TRUE;  // Default to GIL enabled
+       PyObject* sys_module = NULL;
+       PyObject* is_gil_enabled_func = NULL;
+       PyObject* call_result = NULL;
+
+       JPy_BEGIN_GIL_STATE(JNI_TRUE)
+
+       sys_module = PyImport_ImportModule("sys");
+       if (sys_module == NULL) {
+           PyErr_Clear();
+           goto cleanup;
+       }
+
+       is_gil_enabled_func = PyObject_GetAttrString(sys_module, "_is_gil_enabled");
+       if (is_gil_enabled_func == NULL) {
+           PyErr_Clear();
+           goto cleanup;
+       }
+
+       call_result = PyObject_CallNoArgs(is_gil_enabled_func);
+       if (call_result == NULL) {
+           PyErr_Clear();
+           goto cleanup;
+       }
+
+       result = PyObject_IsTrue(call_result) ? JNI_TRUE : JNI_FALSE;
+
+   cleanup:
+       Py_XDECREF(call_result);
+       Py_XDECREF(is_gil_enabled_func);
+       Py_XDECREF(sys_module);
+
+       JPy_END_GIL_STATE
+
+       return result;
+    #else
+       // Standard Python build - GIL is always enabled
+       return JNI_TRUE;
+    #endif
+}
+
 #define  MAX_PYTHON_HOME   256
 wchar_t staticPythonHome[MAX_PYTHON_HOME];
 
@@ -2725,7 +2790,7 @@ static int format_python_traceback(PyTracebackObject *tb, char **buf, int *bufLe
         }
         cnt++;
         if (err == 0 && cnt <= PYLIB_RECURSIVE_CUTOFF) {
-            pyObjUtf8 = format_displayline( 
+            pyObjUtf8 = format_displayline(
                                  co->co_filename,
                                  tb_lineno,
                                  co->co_name);
diff --git a/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.h b/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.h
index d849818..37eb1d4 100644
--- a/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.h
+++ b/src/main/c/jni/org_jpy_PyLib.h
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ extern "C" {
 JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_jpy_PyLib_isPythonRunning
   (JNIEnv *, jclass);
 
+/*
+ * Class:     org_jpy_PyLib
+ * Method:    isGILEnabled
+ * Signature: ()Z
+ */
+JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_jpy_PyLib_isGILEnabled
+  (JNIEnv *, jclass);
+
 /*
  * Class:     org_jpy_PyLib
  * Method:    startPython0
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyLib.java b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyLib.java
index 2f07a06..2d46b4b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyLib.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyLib.java
@@ -161,6 +161,14 @@ public static void assertPythonRuns() {
      */
     public static native boolean isPythonRunning();
 
+    /**
+     * @return {@code true} if the Python GIL (Global Interpreter Lock) is enabled at runtime.
+     * For standard Python builds, this always returns {@code true}.
+     * For Python 3.13+ free-threaded builds, this returns the actual GIL status which can be
+     * controlled via the PYTHON_GIL environment variable.
+     */
+    public static native boolean isGILEnabled();
+
     /**
      * Delegates to {@link #startPython(int, String...)} with {@code flags = Diag.F_OFF}.
      */
diff --git a/src/test/python/jpy_gil_test.py b/src/test/python/jpy_gil_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6e0684
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/python/jpy_gil_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import unittest
+import sys
+
+import jpyutil
+
+jpyutil.init_jvm(jvm_maxmem='512M', jvm_classpath=['target/test-classes', 'target/classes'])
+import jpy
+
+
+class TestGIL(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests for GIL-related functionality in PyLib
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.PyLib = jpy.get_type('org.jpy.PyLib')
+        self.assertIsNotNone(self.PyLib)
+
+    def test_isGILEnabled(self):
+        """
+        Test that PyLib.isGILEnabled() returns the correct GIL status.
+        Verifies the JNI implementation matches Python's own sys._is_gil_enabled().
+        """
+        # Get GIL status from Java/JNI
+        gil_enabled_from_jni = self.PyLib.isGILEnabled()
+        self.assertIsInstance(gil_enabled_from_jni, bool)
+
+        # Get expected GIL status from Python
+        # For Python 3.13+ free-threaded builds, check sys._is_gil_enabled()
+        # For older versions or standard builds, GIL is always enabled
+        if hasattr(sys, '_is_gil_enabled'):
+            expected_gil_enabled = sys._is_gil_enabled()
+        else:
+            # Older Python or standard build - GIL is always enabled
+            expected_gil_enabled = True
+
+        # Verify they match
+        self.assertEqual(
+            gil_enabled_from_jni,
+            expected_gil_enabled,
+            f"PyLib.isGILEnabled() returned {gil_enabled_from_jni}, "
+            f"but Python's sys._is_gil_enabled() indicates {expected_gil_enabled}"
+        )
+
+    def test_isGILEnabled_always_returns_boolean(self):
+        """
+        Test that isGILEnabled() always returns a boolean value.
+        """
+        result = self.PyLib.isGILEnabled()
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, bool)
+
+    def test_isGILEnabled_standard_python(self):
+        """
+        Test that for standard Python builds (non-free-threaded),
+        isGILEnabled() returns True.
+        """
+        # Check if this is a free-threaded build
+        is_free_threaded = hasattr(sys, '_is_gil_enabled')
+
+        if not is_free_threaded:
+            # For standard Python builds, GIL should always be enabled
+            self.assertTrue(
+                self.PyLib.isGILEnabled(),
+                "GIL should always be enabled in standard Python builds"
+            )
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    print('\nRunning ' + __file__)
+    unittest.main()
+