diff --git a/include/ircd/m/sync.h b/include/ircd/m/sync.h
index 440d626f8..df188ad11 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/sync.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/sync.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ struct ircd::m::sync::item
   public:
 	string_view name() const;
 	string_view member_name() const;
+	size_t children() const;
 
 	bool poll(data &, const m::event &);
 	bool linear(data &);
diff --git a/ircd/m.cc b/ircd/m.cc
index 5f1482955..cdd8b3c75 100644
--- a/ircd/m.cc
+++ b/ircd/m.cc
@@ -1070,6 +1070,21 @@ catch(const std::bad_function_call &e)
 	return false;
 }
 
+size_t
+ircd::m::sync::item::children()
+const
+{
+	size_t ret(0);
+	sync::for_each(this->name(), [&ret]
+	(auto &item)
+	{
+		++ret;
+		return true;
+	});
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 ircd::string_view
 ircd::m::sync::item::member_name()
 const