diff --git a/subunit2sql/db/api.py b/subunit2sql/db/api.py
index 201f4fe..0293d86 100644
--- a/subunit2sql/db/api.py
+++ b/subunit2sql/db/api.py
@@ -1571,6 +1571,28 @@ def get_recent_failed_runs_by_run_metadata(key, value, num_runs=10,
         models.Run.run_at.desc()).limit(num_runs).all()
 
 
+def get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata(key, value, start_date=None, session=None):
+    """Check runs for a given run metadata pair
+
+    :param str key: The run_metadata key to check runs
+    :param str value: The run_metadata value to check runs
+    :param datetime start_date: The optional starting dates to get runs from.
+                                Nothing older than this date will be returned
+    :param session: Optional session object if one isn't provided a new session
+                    will be acquired for the duration of this operation
+
+    :return count: A count for a given run metadata key-value pair
+    :rtype: int
+    """
+    session = session or get_session()
+    query = db_utils.model_query(models.Run, session).join(
+        models.RunMetadata, models.Run.id == models.RunMetadata.run_id).filter(
+            models.RunMetadata.key == key,
+            models.RunMetadata.value == value)
+    query = _filter_runs_by_date(query, start_date)
+    return query.count()
+
+
 def get_runs_by_status_grouped_by_run_metadata(key, start_date=None,
                                                stop_date=None, session=None):
     session = session or get_session()
diff --git a/subunit2sql/tests/db/test_api.py b/subunit2sql/tests/db/test_api.py
index 23e2789..3724e24 100644
--- a/subunit2sql/tests/db/test_api.py
+++ b/subunit2sql/tests/db/test_api.py
@@ -862,6 +862,37 @@ class TestDatabaseAPI(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(1, len(results))
         self.assertEqual(run_c.id, results[0].id)
 
+    def test_get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata_no_start_date(self):
+        run_a = api.create_run(fails=1)
+        api.create_run()
+        run_c = api.create_run(fails=2)
+        api.add_run_metadata({'fake_key': 'fake_value'}, run_a.id)
+        api.add_run_metadata({'zeon': 'zaku'}, run_c.id)
+        results = api.get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata('zeon', 'zaku')
+        self.assertEqual(1, results)
+        results = api.get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata('zeon', 'dom')
+        self.assertEqual(0, results)
+
+    def test_get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata_with_start_date(self):
+        run_a = api.create_run(fails=1)
+        api.create_run()
+        run_c = api.create_run(fails=2)
+        run_d = api.create_run(fails=3,
+                               run_at=datetime.datetime(1914, 6, 28,
+                                                        10, 45, 0))
+        api.add_run_metadata({'fake_key': 'fake_value'}, run_a.id)
+        api.add_run_metadata({'zeon': 'zaku'}, run_c.id)
+        api.add_run_metadata({'zeon': 'zaku'}, run_d.id)
+        results = api.get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata(
+            'zeon', 'zaku', start_date=datetime.date(1970, 1, 1))
+        self.assertEqual(1, results)
+        results = api.get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata(
+            'zeon', 'zaku', start_date=datetime.date(1914, 6, 27))
+        self.assertEqual(2, results)
+        results = api.get_runs_counts_by_run_metadata(
+            'zeon', 'dom', start_date=datetime.date(1914, 6, 27))
+        self.assertEqual(0, results)
+
     def test_get_test_run_metadata(self):
         run = api.create_run()
         test = api.create_test('fake_test')