diff --git a/doc/api/editorInfo.md b/doc/api/editorInfo.md
index 05656bce7..31361a750 100644
--- a/doc/api/editorInfo.md
+++ b/doc/api/editorInfo.md
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ Returns the `rep` object.
 ## editorInfo.ace_performDocumentApplyAttributesToCharRange(?)
 ## editorInfo.ace_setAttributeOnSelection(?)
 ## editorInfo.ace_toggleAttributeOnSelection(?)
+## editorInfo.ace_getAttributeOnSelection(attribute)
+Returns a boolean if an attribute exists on a selected range.
+The attribute should be the string name of the attribute applied to the selection IE subscript
+Example usage: Apply the activeButton Class to a button if an attribute is on a highlighted/selected caret position or range.
+Example: `call.editorInfo.ace_getAttributeOnSelection("subscript");` // call here is the callstack from aceEditEvent.
+See the ep_subscript plugin for an example of this function in action.
+Notes: Does not work on first or last character of a line.  Suffers from a race condition if called with aceEditEvent.
 ## editorInfo.ace_performSelectionChange(?)
 ## editorInfo.ace_doIndentOutdent(?)
 ## editorInfo.ace_doUndoRedo(?)
diff --git a/src/static/css/pad.css b/src/static/css/pad.css
index 467d50632..0c1153fde 100644
--- a/src/static/css/pad.css
+++ b/src/static/css/pad.css
@@ -1067,3 +1067,14 @@ input[type=checkbox] {
 }
 
 /* End of gritter stuff */
+.activeButton{
+  background: #eee;
+  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#ddd, #fff);
+  background: -moz-linear-gradient(#ddd, #fff);
+  background: -o-linear-gradient(#ddd, #fff);
+  background: -ms-linear-gradient(#ddd, #fff);
+  background: linear-gradient(#ddd, #fff);
+  -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0,0,0,.1) inset;
+  -moz-box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0,0,0,.1) inset;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0,0,0,.1) inset;
+}
diff --git a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
index 63e6e1f4f..012d72f38 100644
--- a/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
+++ b/src/static/js/ace2_inner.js
@@ -2372,6 +2372,73 @@ function Ace2Inner(){
   }
   editorInfo.ace_setAttributeOnSelection = setAttributeOnSelection;
 
+  function getAttributeOnSelection(attributeName){
+    if (!(rep.selStart && rep.selEnd)) return;
+    var selectionAllHasIt = true;
+    var withIt = Changeset.makeAttribsString('+', [
+      [attributeName, 'true']
+    ], rep.apool);
+    var withItRegex = new RegExp(withIt.replace(/\*/g, '\\*') + "(\\*|$)");
+
+    function hasIt(attribs)
+    {
+      return withItRegex.test(attribs);
+    }
+
+    var selStartLine = rep.selStart[0];
+    var selEndLine = rep.selEnd[0];
+    for (var n = selStartLine; n <= selEndLine; n++)
+    {
+      var opIter = Changeset.opIterator(rep.alines[n]);
+      var indexIntoLine = 0;
+      var selectionStartInLine = 0;
+      var selectionEndInLine = rep.lines.atIndex(n).text.length; // exclude newline
+      if(rep.lines.atIndex(n).text.length == 0){
+        return false; // If the line length is 0 we basically treat it as having no formatting
+      }
+      if(rep.selStart[1] == rep.selEnd[1] && rep.selStart[1] == rep.lines.atIndex(n).text.length){
+        return false; // If we're at the end of a line we treat it as having no formatting
+      }
+      if(rep.selStart[1] == 0 && rep.selEnd[1] == 0){ 
+        return false; // If we're at the start of a line attributes get confused..
+      }
+      if (n == selStartLine)
+      {
+        selectionStartInLine = rep.selStart[1];
+      }
+      if (n == selEndLine)
+      {
+        selectionEndInLine = rep.selEnd[1];
+      }
+      while (opIter.hasNext())
+      {
+        var op = opIter.next();
+        var opStartInLine = indexIntoLine;
+        var opEndInLine = opStartInLine + op.chars;
+        if (!hasIt(op.attribs))
+        {
+          // does op overlap selection?
+          if (!(opEndInLine <= selectionStartInLine || opStartInLine >= selectionEndInLine))
+          {
+            selectionAllHasIt = false;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+        indexIntoLine = opEndInLine;
+      }
+      if (!selectionAllHasIt)
+      {
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if(selectionAllHasIt){
+      return true;
+    }else{
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  editorInfo.ace_getAttributeOnSelection = getAttributeOnSelection;
+
   function toggleAttributeOnSelection(attributeName)
   {
     if (!(rep.selStart && rep.selEnd)) return;