diff --git a/procedures/phal/check_host_running.cpp b/procedures/phal/check_host_running.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a72a812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/procedures/phal/check_host_running.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+extern "C"
+{
+#include "libpdbg.h"
+}
+
+#include "common_utils.hpp"
+#include "p10_cfam.hpp"
+#include "procedures/phal/common_utils.hpp"
+#include "registration.hpp"
+
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace phal
+{
+
+using namespace openpower::cfam::p10;
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+/**
+ * This is the backup plan to ensuring the host is not running before the
+ * BMC issues a power off to the system. Prior to this procedure being called,
+ * the BMC has tried all other communication mechanisms to talk with the host
+ * and they have failed. The design is that the host firmware will write the
+ * value 0xA5000001 to Mailbox scratch register 12 when they are up and running
+ * to a point where communication to the BMC is no longer required to function.
+ * On a power off or shutdown this register is cleared by the host and BMC
+ * firmware. If the BMC sees the 0xA5000001 pattern in the scratch register
+ * then it assumes the host is running and will leave power on to the system.
+ */
+void checkHostRunning()
+{
+    struct pdbg_target* procTarget;
+
+    try
+    {
+        phal_init();
+    }
+    catch (std::exception& ex)
+    {
+        // This should "never" happen so just throw the exception and let
+        // our systemd error handling process this
+        log<level::ERR>("Exception raised during init PHAL",
+                        entry("EXCEPTION=%s", ex.what()));
+        throw std::runtime_error("PHAL initialization failed");
+    }
+
+    pdbg_for_each_class_target("proc", procTarget)
+    {
+        // Only check the primary proc
+        if (!isPrimaryProc(procTarget))
+        {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        uint32_t val = 0;
+        constexpr uint32_t HOST_RUNNING_INDICATION = 0xA5000001;
+        auto rc = getCFAM(procTarget, P10_SCRATCH_REG_12, val);
+        if ((rc == 0) && (val != HOST_RUNNING_INDICATION))
+        {
+            log<level::INFO>("CFAM read indicates host is not running",
+                             entry("CFAM=0x%X", val));
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (rc != 0)
+        {
+            // On error, we have to assume host is up so just fall through
+            // to code below
+            log<level::ERR>("CFAM read error, assume host is running");
+        }
+        else if (val == HOST_RUNNING_INDICATION)
+        {
+            // This is not good. Normal communication path to host did not work
+            // but CFAM indicates host is running.
+            log<level::ERR>("CFAM read indicates host is running");
+        }
+
+        // TODO - Create Error
+
+        // Create file for host instance and create in filesystem to
+        // indicate to services that host is running.
+        // This file is cleared by the phosphor-state-manager once the host
+        // start target completes.
+        constexpr auto HOST_RUNNING_FILE = "/run/openbmc/host@%d-on";
+        auto size = std::snprintf(nullptr, 0, HOST_RUNNING_FILE, 0);
+        size++; // null
+        std::unique_ptr<char[]> buf(new char[size]);
+        std::snprintf(buf.get(), size, HOST_RUNNING_FILE, 0);
+        std::ofstream outfile(buf.get());
+        outfile.close();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // We should "never" make it here. If we did it implies no primary processor
+    // was found. Once again, rely on systemd recovery if this happens
+    log<level::ERR>("No primary processor found in checkHostRunning");
+    throw std::runtime_error("No primary processor found in checkHostRunning");
+}
+
+REGISTER_PROCEDURE("checkHostRunning", checkHostRunning)
+
+} // namespace phal
+} // namespace openpower