diff --git i/libpromises/evalfunction.c w/libpromises/evalfunction.c
index 2444f273c..dc002c364 100644
--- i/libpromises/evalfunction.c
+++ w/libpromises/evalfunction.c
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ static bool AddPackagesMatchingJsonLine(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, char *
     return true;
 }
 
-static bool GetLegacyPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool installed_mode)
+static bool GetLegacyPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool installed_mode, const bool check_mode)
 {
     char filename[CF_MAXVARSIZE];
     if (installed_mode)
@@ -1606,7 +1606,7 @@ static bool GetLegacyPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bo
     return ret;
 }
 
-static bool GetPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool installed_mode, Rlist *default_inventory)
+static bool GetPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool installed_mode, const bool check_mode, Rlist *default_inventory)
 {
     dbid database = (installed_mode == true ? dbid_packages_installed : dbid_packages_updates);
 
@@ -1672,6 +1672,11 @@ static bool GetPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool ins
                     {
                         break;
                     }
+
+                    if (check_mode && JsonLength(json) > 0)
+                    {
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
                 SeqDestroy(packages_from_module);
             }
@@ -1689,6 +1694,7 @@ static bool GetPackagesMatching(pcre *matcher, JsonElement *json, const bool ins
 
 static FnCallResult FnCallPackagesMatching(ARG_UNUSED EvalContext *ctx, ARG_UNUSED const Policy *policy, const FnCall *fp, const Rlist *finalargs)
 {
+    const bool check_mode = (strncmp(fp->name, "is", 2) == 0);
     const bool installed_mode = (strcmp(fp->name, "packagesmatching") == 0);
     pcre *matcher;
     {
@@ -1715,12 +1721,12 @@ static FnCallResult FnCallPackagesMatching(ARG_UNUSED EvalContext *ctx, ARG_UNUS
     if (!default_inventory)
     {
         // Legacy package promise
-        ret = GetLegacyPackagesMatching(matcher, json, installed_mode);
+        ret = GetLegacyPackagesMatching(matcher, json, installed_mode, check_mode);
     }
     else
     {
         // We are using package modules.
-        ret = GetPackagesMatching(matcher, json, installed_mode, default_inventory);
+        ret = GetPackagesMatching(matcher, json, installed_mode, check_mode, default_inventory);
     }
 
     pcre_free(matcher);
@@ -1733,6 +1739,13 @@ static FnCallResult FnCallPackagesMatching(ARG_UNUSED EvalContext *ctx, ARG_UNUS
         return FnFailure();
     }
 
+    if (check_mode)
+    {
+        const bool empty = (JsonLength(json) == 0);
+        JsonDestroy(json);
+        return FnReturnContext(!empty);
+    }
+
     return (FnCallResult) { FNCALL_SUCCESS, (Rval) { json, RVAL_TYPE_CONTAINER } };
 }
 
@@ -8983,6 +8996,10 @@ const FnCallType CF_FNCALL_TYPES[] =
                   FNCALL_OPTION_NONE, FNCALL_CATEGORY_FILES, SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     FnCallTypeNew("isnewerthan", CF_DATA_TYPE_CONTEXT, ISNEWERTHAN_ARGS, &FnCallIsNewerThan, "True if arg1 is newer (modified later) than arg2 (mtime)",
                   FNCALL_OPTION_NONE, FNCALL_CATEGORY_FILES, SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
+    FnCallTypeNew("ispackagematching", CF_DATA_TYPE_CONTEXT, PACKAGESMATCHING_ARGS, &FnCallPackagesMatching, "Check if at least one installed package (\"name,version,arch,manager\") matches regex arg1=name,arg2=version,arg3=arch,arg4=method",
+                  FNCALL_OPTION_NONE, FNCALL_CATEGORY_SYSTEM, SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
+    FnCallTypeNew("ispackageupdatematching", CF_DATA_TYPE_CONTEXT, PACKAGESMATCHING_ARGS, &FnCallPackagesMatching, "Check if at least one patch (\"name,version,arch,manager\") is available matching regex arg1=name,arg2=version,arg3=arch,arg4=method.  Enterprise only.",
+                  FNCALL_OPTION_NONE, FNCALL_CATEGORY_SYSTEM, SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     FnCallTypeNew("isplain", CF_DATA_TYPE_CONTEXT, FILESTAT_ARGS, &FnCallFileStat, "True if the named object is a plain/regular file",
                   FNCALL_OPTION_NONE, FNCALL_CATEGORY_FILES, SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     FnCallTypeNew("isvariable", CF_DATA_TYPE_CONTEXT, ISVARIABLE_ARGS, &FnCallIsVariable, "True if the named variable is defined",