diff --git a/lib/couchdb/database.rb b/lib/couchdb/database.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/couchdb/database.rb
+++ b/lib/couchdb/database.rb
@@ -285,6 +285,15 @@ module Couchdb
       Response.new(http.request(uri, req))
     end
 
+    def head(doc_id, credentials = nil)
+      uri = doc_uri(doc_id)
+      req = Net::HTTP::Head.new(uri.to_s)
+
+      set_credentials(req, credentials)
+
+      Response.new(http.request(uri, req))
+    end
+
     def get_attachment(loc, credentials = nil, &block)
       uri = doc_uri(loc)
       req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.to_s)
Couchdb::Database#head.  #<I>.

Useful for detecting the presence of a document, which in turn is useful
for attaching objects to documents.  (In order to attach objects to
documents, a rev must be provided.  The easiest way to get that rev, if
it isn't already present, is to do a HEAD on the document ID.)