diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/ProfileField.pm b/lib/WebGUI/ProfileField.pm
index 5faf0897c..ce0cccafd 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/ProfileField.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/ProfileField.pm
@@ -104,12 +104,7 @@ sub create {
 
     ### Check data
     # Check if the field already exists
-    my $fieldNameExists 
-        = $session->db->quickScalar(
-            "select count(*) from userProfileField where fieldName=?", 
-            [$fieldName]
-        );
-    return undef if $fieldNameExists;
+    return undef if $class->exists($session,$fieldName);
     return undef if $class->isReservedFieldName($fieldName);
 
     ### Data okay, create the field
@@ -155,6 +150,24 @@ sub delete {
     $db->deleteRow("userProfileField","fieldName",$self->getId);
 }
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head2 exists ( session, fieldName )
+
+Class method that returns true if a field with the given name already 
+exists. The first argument is a WebGUI::Session object. C<fieldName> is 
+the field name to check
+
+=cut
+
+sub exists {
+    my ( $class, $session, $fieldName ) = @_;
+    
+    return 1 if $session->db->quickScalar(
+        "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM userProfileField WHERE fieldName=?",
+        [$fieldName]
+    );
+}
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -717,12 +730,7 @@ sub rename {
 
     ### Check data
     # Make sure the field doesn't exist
-    my $fieldNameExists
-    = $self->session->db->quickScalar(
-        "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM userProfileField WHERE fieldName=?",
-        [$newName]
-    );
-    return 0 if ($fieldNameExists);
+    return 0 if $self->exists($session, $newName);
 
     # Rename the userProfileData column
     my $fieldClass  = $self->getFormControlClass;
diff --git a/t/ProfileField.t b/t/ProfileField.t
index 0b20789bc..f1b0e0f77 100644
--- a/t/ProfileField.t
+++ b/t/ProfileField.t
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ WebGUI::Test->usersToDelete($newUser);
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Tests
 
-plan tests => 20;        # Increment this number for each test you create
+plan tests => 22;        # Increment this number for each test you create
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Test the creation of ProfileField
@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ is($newProfileField->get('fieldType'), 'HTMLArea', 'test field updated to HTMLAr
 $fieldSpec = $session->db->quickHashRef('describe userProfileData testField');
 is (lc $fieldSpec->{Type}, $htmlFieldType, 'database updated along with profile field object');
 
+###########################################################
+#
+# exists
+#
+###########################################################
+
+ok( WebGUI::ProfileField->exists($session,"firstName"), "firstName field exists" );
+ok( !WebGUI::ProfileField->exists($session, time), "random field does not exist" );
+
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Cleanup
 END {