diff --git a/net/deno.json b/net/deno.json
index fb8b22f69794..21f0365e259d 100644
--- a/net/deno.json
+++ b/net/deno.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   "exports": {
     ".": "./mod.ts",
     "./get-available-port": "./get_available_port.ts",
+    "./unstable-is-port-available": "./unstable_is_port_available.ts",
     "./unstable-ip": "./unstable_ip.ts",
     "./get-network-address": "./unstable_get_network_address.ts",
     "./unstable-get-network-address": "./unstable_get_network_address.ts"
diff --git a/net/unstable_is_port_available.ts b/net/unstable_is_port_available.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..18f5da44c8e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/unstable_is_port_available.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+// Copyright 2018-2026 the Deno authors. MIT license.
+
+/**
+ * Options for {@linkcode isPortAvailable}.
+ *
+ * @experimental **UNSTABLE**: New API, yet to be vetted.
+ */
+export interface IsPortAvailableOptions {
+  /**
+   * The hostname to check the port on.
+   *
+   * @default {"0.0.0.0"}
+   */
+  hostname?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns whether the given TCP port is available to listen on.
+ *
+ * @experimental **UNSTABLE**: New API, yet to be vetted.
+ *
+ * > [!IMPORTANT]
+ * > This check is inherently racy: the port may be taken by another process
+ * > between the time this function returns and the time you attempt to listen
+ * > on it. When you control the listener, prefer passing `port: 0` to
+ * > {@linkcode Deno.serve} or {@linkcode Deno.listen} to let the operating
+ * > system assign an available port, or use
+ * > {@linkcode https://jsr.io/@std/net/doc/get-available-port/~/getAvailablePort | getAvailablePort}.
+ *
+ * This function requires the `--allow-net` permission. Any error other than
+ * {@linkcode Deno.errors.AddrInUse} is rethrown, including
+ * {@linkcode Deno.errors.PermissionDenied} for privileged ports (below 1024)
+ * or when the `net` permission has not been granted.
+ *
+ * @param port The port to check. Use `0` to check whether the operating system
+ * can assign an ephemeral port.
+ * @param options Options for checking the port.
+ * @returns `true` if the port is available to listen on, `false` if it is
+ * already in use.
+ *
+ * @example Usage
+ * ```ts
+ * import { isPortAvailable } from "@std/net/unstable-is-port-available";
+ * import { assert } from "@std/assert";
+ *
+ * using listener = Deno.listen({ port: 0 });
+ * const { port } = listener.addr;
+ *
+ * assert(!isPortAvailable(port));
+ * ```
+ *
+ * @example Check before serving
+ * ```ts no-assert ignore
+ * import { isPortAvailable } from "@std/net/unstable-is-port-available";
+ *
+ * if (isPortAvailable(8080)) {
+ *   Deno.serve({ port: 8080 }, () => new Response("Hello, world!"));
+ * }
+ * ```
+ */
+export function isPortAvailable(
+  port: number,
+  options?: IsPortAvailableOptions,
+): boolean {
+  try {
+    using _listener = Deno.listen(
+      options?.hostname !== undefined
+        ? { port, hostname: options.hostname }
+        : { port },
+    );
+    return true;
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof Deno.errors.AddrInUse) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    throw e;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/net/unstable_is_port_available_test.ts b/net/unstable_is_port_available_test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e98490675242
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/unstable_is_port_available_test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Copyright 2018-2026 the Deno authors. MIT license.
+
+import { isPortAvailable } from "./unstable_is_port_available.ts";
+import { assert, assertFalse, assertThrows } from "@std/assert";
+import { stub } from "@std/testing/mock";
+
+Deno.test("isPortAvailable() returns true for an available port", () => {
+  assert(isPortAvailable(0));
+});
+
+Deno.test("isPortAvailable() returns false for a port already in use", () => {
+  using listener = Deno.listen({ port: 0 });
+  const { port } = listener.addr;
+  assertFalse(isPortAvailable(port));
+});
+
+Deno.test("isPortAvailable() respects the hostname option", () => {
+  using listener = Deno.listen({ port: 0, hostname: "127.0.0.1" });
+  const { port } = listener.addr;
+  assertFalse(isPortAvailable(port, { hostname: "127.0.0.1" }));
+});
+
+Deno.test("isPortAvailable() rethrows errors other than AddrInUse", () => {
+  using _listen = stub(Deno, "listen", () => {
+    throw new Error("boom");
+  });
+  assertThrows(() => isPortAvailable(0), Error, "boom");
+});