diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/broadcast.rs b/tokio/src/sync/broadcast.rs
index fa439fba500..c74633cded7 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/broadcast.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/broadcast.rs
@@ -694,7 +694,13 @@ impl<T> Receiver<T> {
     /// Returns the number of messages that were sent into the channel and that
     /// this [`Receiver`] has yet to receive.
     ///
+    /// If the returned value from `len` is larger or equal to the capacity of
+    /// the channel any call to [`recv`] will return an `Err(RecvError::Lagged)`
+    /// and any call to [`try_recv`] will return an `Err(TryRecvError::Lagged)`.
+    ///
     /// [`Receiver`]: crate::sync::broadcast::Receiver
+    /// [`recv`]: crate::sync::broadcast::Receiver::recv
+    /// [`try_recv`]: crate::sync::broadcast::Receiver::try_recv
     ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
@@ -708,16 +714,45 @@ impl<T> Receiver<T> {
     ///     tx.send(10).unwrap();
     ///     tx.send(20).unwrap();
     ///
-    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.num_msgs(), 2);
+    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.len(), 2);
     ///     assert_eq!(rx1.recv().await.unwrap(), 10);
-    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.num_msgs(), 1);
+    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.len(), 1);
     ///     assert_eq!(rx1.recv().await.unwrap(), 20);     
-    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.num_msgs(), 0);
+    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.len(), 0);
     /// }
     /// ```
-    pub fn num_msgs(&self) -> u64 {
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
         let next_send_pos = self.shared.tail.lock().pos;
-        next_send_pos - self.next
+        (next_send_pos - self.next) as usize
+    }
+
+    /// Returns true if there aren't any messages in the channel that the [`Receiver`]
+    /// has yet to receive.
+    ///
+    /// [`Receiver]: create::sync::broadcast::Receiver
+    ///
+    /// # Examples
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// use tokio::sync::broadcast;
+    ///
+    /// #[tokio::main]
+    /// async fn main() {
+    ///     let (tx, mut rx1) = broadcast::channel(16);
+    ///
+    ///     assert!(rx1.is_empty());
+    ///
+    ///     tx.send(10).unwrap();
+    ///     tx.send(20).unwrap();
+    ///
+    ///     assert!(!rx1.is_empty());
+    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.recv().await.unwrap(), 10);
+    ///     assert_eq!(rx1.recv().await.unwrap(), 20);     
+    ///     assert!(rx.is_empty());
+    /// }
+    /// ```
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.len() == 0
     }
 
     /// Locks the next value if there is one.