diff --git a/doc/api.rst b/doc/api.rst
index 2d4d74a29..a407b91bd 100644
--- a/doc/api.rst
+++ b/doc/api.rst
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ The Ray API
 .. autofunction:: ray.put
 .. autofunction:: ray.get
 .. autofunction:: ray.remote
+.. autofunction:: ray.select
 .. autofunction:: ray.init
 .. autofunction:: ray.kill_workers
 .. autofunction:: ray.restart_workers_local
diff --git a/examples/hyperopt/driver.py b/examples/hyperopt/driver.py
index 34b9ee749..0efb67760 100644
--- a/examples/hyperopt/driver.py
+++ b/examples/hyperopt/driver.py
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
   # Fetch the results of the tasks and print the results.
   for i in range(trials):
-    params, result_id = results[i]
+    # Get the index of the first task that completes.
+    index = ray.select([result_id for _, result_id in results], num_objects=1)[0]
+    # Process the output of this task and remove it from the list.
+    params, result_id = results.pop(index)
     accuracy = ray.get(result_id)
     print """We achieve accuracy {:.3}% with
         learning_rate: {:.2}
diff --git a/lib/python/ray/__init__.py b/lib/python/ray/__init__.py
index e01643631..b2a843eea 100644
--- a/lib/python/ray/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/python/ray/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ if hasattr(ctypes, "windll"):
 
 import config
 import serialization
-from worker import scheduler_info, visualize_computation_graph, task_info, init, connect, disconnect, get, put, remote, kill_workers, restart_workers_local
+from worker import scheduler_info, visualize_computation_graph, task_info, init, connect, disconnect, get, put, select, remote, kill_workers, restart_workers_local
 from worker import Reusable, reusables
 from libraylib import SCRIPT_MODE, WORKER_MODE, PYTHON_MODE, SILENT_MODE
 from libraylib import ObjectID
diff --git a/lib/python/ray/worker.py b/lib/python/ray/worker.py
index 4a136dad2..deeca503a 100644
--- a/lib/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/lib/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -819,6 +819,36 @@ def put(value, worker=global_worker):
   worker.put_object(objectid, value)
   return objectid
 
+def select(objectids, num_objects=0, worker=global_worker):
+  """Return a list of the indices of the objects that are ready.
+
+  If num_objects is 0, the function immediately returns the indices of all
+  objects that are ready. If it is set, the function waits until that number of
+  objects is ready and returns that exact number of objectids.
+
+  Args:
+    objectids (List[ray.ObjectID]): List of objectids for objects that may or
+      may not be ready.
+    num_objects (int): The number of indices that should be returned.
+
+  Returns:
+    List of indices in the original list of objects that are ready.
+  """
+  check_connected(worker)
+  if num_objects > len(objectids):
+    raise Exception("num_objects cannot be greater than len(objectids), num_objects is {}, and len(objectids) is {}.".format(num_objects, len(objectids)))
+  ready_ids = raylib.ray_select(worker.handle, objectids)
+  # Polls scheduler until enough objects are ready.
+  while len(ready_ids) < num_objects:
+    ready_ids = raylib.ray_select(worker.handle, objectids)
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+  if num_objects != 0:
+    # Return indices for exactly the requested number of objects.
+    return ready_ids[:num_objects]
+  else:
+    # Return indices for all objects that are ready.
+    return ready_ids
+
 def kill_workers(worker=global_worker):
   """Kill all of the workers in the cluster. This does not kill drivers.
 
diff --git a/protos/ray.proto b/protos/ray.proto
index e1d29b775..cd2eec032 100644
--- a/protos/ray.proto
+++ b/protos/ray.proto
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ service Scheduler {
   rpc ExportReusableVariable(ExportReusableVariableRequest) returns (AckReply);
   // Notify the scheduler that a failure occurred while running a task, importing a remote function, or importing a reusable variable.
   rpc NotifyFailure(NotifyFailureRequest) returns (AckReply);
+  // Polls the scheduler to see what objectids can be retrieved in the input list.
+  rpc Select(SelectRequest) returns (SelectReply);
 }
 
 message AckReply {
@@ -168,6 +170,14 @@ message SchedulerInfoReply {
   repeated ObjstoreData objstore = 7; // Information about the object stores
 }
 
+message SelectRequest {
+  repeated uint64 objectids = 1; // List of objectids to be checked.
+}
+
+message SelectReply {
+  repeated uint64 indices = 1; // List of indices that correspond to objectids in the original list that are ready.
+}
+
 // Object stores
 
 service ObjStore {
diff --git a/src/raylib.cc b/src/raylib.cc
index f95b17fe2..95144ceed 100644
--- a/src/raylib.cc
+++ b/src/raylib.cc
@@ -897,6 +897,26 @@ static PyObject* request_object(PyObject* self, PyObject* args) {
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
+static PyObject* ray_select(PyObject* self, PyObject* args) {
+  Worker* worker;
+  PyObject* objectids;
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O&O", &PyObjectToWorker, &worker, &objectids)) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+  std::vector<ObjectID> objectids_vec;
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < PyList_Size(objectids); ++i) {
+    ObjectID objectid;
+    PyObjectToObjectID(PyList_GetItem(objectids, i), &objectid);
+    objectids_vec.push_back(objectid);
+  }
+  std::vector<int> indices = worker->select(objectids_vec);
+  PyObject* result = PyList_New(indices.size());
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < indices.size(); ++i) {
+    PyList_SetItem(result, i, PyInt_FromLong(indices[i]));
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 static PyObject* alias_objectids(PyObject* self, PyObject* args) {
   Worker* worker;
   ObjectID alias_objectid;
@@ -1061,6 +1081,7 @@ static PyMethodDef RayLibMethods[] = {
  { "get_object", get_object, METH_VARARGS, "get protocol buffer object from the local object store" },
  { "get_objectid", get_objectid, METH_VARARGS, "register a new object reference with the scheduler" },
  { "request_object" , request_object, METH_VARARGS, "request an object to be delivered to the local object store" },
+ { "ray_select" , ray_select, METH_VARARGS, "checks the scheduler to see if a object can be gotten" },
  { "alias_objectids", alias_objectids, METH_VARARGS, "make two objectids refer to the same object" },
  { "wait_for_next_message", wait_for_next_message, METH_VARARGS, "get next message from scheduler (blocking)" },
  { "submit_task", submit_task, METH_VARARGS, "call a remote function" },
diff --git a/src/scheduler.cc b/src/scheduler.cc
index b179141da..888fb2581 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.cc
+++ b/src/scheduler.cc
@@ -549,6 +549,21 @@ Status SchedulerService::ExportReusableVariable(ServerContext* context, const Ex
   return Status::OK;
 }
 
+Status SchedulerService::Select(ServerContext* context, const SelectRequest* request, SelectReply* reply) {
+  auto objtable = GET(objtable_);
+  for (int i = 0; i < request->objectids_size(); ++i) {
+    ObjectID objectid = request->objectids(i);
+    if (has_canonical_objectid(objectid)) {
+      ObjectID canonical_objectid = get_canonical_objectid(objectid);
+      RAY_CHECK_LT(canonical_objectid, objtable->size(), "Canonical_objectid is outside object table.");
+      if ((*objtable)[canonical_objectid].size() != 0) {
+        reply->add_indices(i);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return Status::OK;
+}
+
 void SchedulerService::deliver_object_async_if_necessary(ObjectID canonical_objectid, ObjStoreId from, ObjStoreId to) {
   bool object_present_or_in_transit;
   {
diff --git a/src/scheduler.h b/src/scheduler.h
index 1a9cc6075..aaac29044 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.h
+++ b/src/scheduler.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public:
   Status ExportRemoteFunction(ServerContext* context, const ExportRemoteFunctionRequest* request, AckReply* reply) override;
   Status ExportReusableVariable(ServerContext* context, const ExportReusableVariableRequest* request, AckReply* reply) override;
   Status NotifyFailure(ServerContext*, const NotifyFailureRequest* request, AckReply* reply) override;
+  Status Select(ServerContext*, const SelectRequest* request, SelectReply* reply) override;
 
 #ifdef NDEBUG
   // If we've disabled assertions, then just use regular SynchronizedPtr to skip lock checking.
diff --git a/src/worker.cc b/src/worker.cc
index f0aa3cbbf..64d0b4062 100644
--- a/src/worker.cc
+++ b/src/worker.cc
@@ -424,6 +424,22 @@ void Worker::task_info(ClientContext &context, TaskInfoRequest &request, TaskInf
   RAY_CHECK_GRPC(scheduler_stub_->TaskInfo(&context, request, &reply));
 }
 
+std::vector<int> Worker::select(std::vector<ObjectID>& objectids) {
+  RAY_CHECK(connected_, "Attempted to test if object was ready but failed.");
+  ClientContext context;
+  SelectRequest request;
+  SelectReply reply;
+  for (int i = 0; i < objectids.size(); ++i) {
+    request.add_objectids(objectids[i]);
+  }
+  RAY_CHECK_GRPC(scheduler_stub_->Select(&context, request, &reply));
+  std::vector<int> result;
+  for (int i = 0; i < reply.indices_size(); ++i) {
+    result.push_back(reply.indices(i));
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 bool Worker::export_remote_function(const std::string& function_name, const std::string& function) {
   RAY_CHECK(connected_, "Attempted to export function but failed.");
   ClientContext context;
diff --git a/src/worker.h b/src/worker.h
index bafb7f27b..814cc1041 100644
--- a/src/worker.h
+++ b/src/worker.h
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ class Worker {
   void scheduler_info(ClientContext &context, SchedulerInfoRequest &request, SchedulerInfoReply &reply);
   // get task statuses from scheduler
   void task_info(ClientContext &context, TaskInfoRequest &request, TaskInfoReply &reply);
+  // gets indices of available objects
+  std::vector<int> select(std::vector<ObjectID>& objectids);
   // export function to workers
   bool export_remote_function(const std::string& function_name, const std::string& function);
   // export reusable variable to workers
diff --git a/test/runtest.py b/test/runtest.py
index f539d99ec..13f7a5500 100644
--- a/test/runtest.py
+++ b/test/runtest.py
@@ -305,6 +305,24 @@ class APITest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     ray.worker.cleanup()
 
+  def testSelect(self):
+    ray.init(start_ray_local=True, num_workers=4)
+
+    @ray.remote([float], [int])
+    def f(delay):
+      time.sleep(delay)
+      return 1
+    objectids = [f.remote(1.5), f.remote(1.5), f.remote(1.0), f.remote(0.5)]
+    self.assertEqual(ray.select(objectids), [])
+    time.sleep(0.75)
+    self.assertEqual(ray.select(objectids), [3])
+    time.sleep(0.5)
+    self.assertEqual(ray.select(objectids), [2, 3])
+    time.sleep(0.5)
+    self.assertEqual(ray.select(objectids), [0, 1, 2, 3])
+
+    ray.worker.cleanup()
+
   def testCachingReusables(self):
     # Test that we can define reusable variables before the driver is connected.
     def foo_initializer():