diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
index 4e5e0c3233..bb3ffe3f8a 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.PropertyDescriptor;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.Rule;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.RulePriority;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.RuleSetReference;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.Language;
@@ -246,4 +247,16 @@ public class RuleReference extends AbstractDelegateRule {
 		}
 		return false;
 	}
+
+    /**
+     * @see Rule#hasDescriptor(PropertyDescriptor)
+     */
+    public boolean hasDescriptor(PropertyDescriptor<?> descriptor) {
+    	
+    	if (propertyValues.isEmpty()) {
+    		getPropertiesByPropertyDescriptor();	// compute it
+    	}
+    	
+    	return propertyValues.containsKey(descriptor);
+    }
 }