diff --git a/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities.ipf b/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities.ipf
index 9193745d82..92c78b992a 100644
--- a/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities.ipf
+++ b/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities.ipf
@@ -6876,3 +6876,39 @@ Function/WAVE FlattenWaves(WAVE/WAVE input, [variable sdim])
 
 	return output
 End
+
+/// @brief Return the truth if any of the given intervals [A, B] intersect.
+///
+/// Intervals only "touching" are not considered intersecting.
+threadsafe Function AreIntervalsIntersecting(WAVE rangesParam)
+
+	variable numRows, i
+
+	ASSERT_TS(IsNumericWave(rangesParam), "Expected a numeric wave")
+
+	numRows = DimSize(rangesParam, ROWS)
+	// two columns: start, end
+	ASSERT_TS(DimSize(rangesParam, COLS) == 2, "Expected exactly two columns")
+
+	if(numRows <= 1)
+		return 0
+	endif
+
+	// sort start column in ascending order
+	Duplicate/FREE rangesParam, ranges
+	WaveClear rangesParam
+	SortColumns/KNDX={0} sortWaves=ranges
+
+	for(i = 0; i < numRows; i += 1)
+		ASSERT_TS(IsFinite(ranges[i][0]) && IsFinite(ranges[i][1]), "Expected finite entries")
+		ASSERT_TS(ranges[i][0] < ranges[i][1], "Invalid entry sorting")
+
+		// check that every interval, starting from the second interval
+		// starts later than the previous one ends
+		if(i > 0 && ranges[i][0] < ranges[i - 1][1])
+			return 1
+		endif
+	endfor
+
+	return 0
+End
diff --git a/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils.ipf b/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils.ipf
index 42b5d3c6a2..3a540c0633 100644
--- a/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils.ipf
+++ b/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils.ipf
@@ -7580,3 +7580,76 @@ static Function TestFlattenWaves()
 
 	CHECK_EMPTY_FOLDER()
 End
+
+static Function TestAreIntervalsIntersecting()
+
+	// wrong wave type
+	try
+		Make/FREE/T wvText
+		AreIntervalsIntersecting(wvText)
+		FAIL()
+	catch
+		CHECK_NO_RTE()
+	endtry
+
+	// 1D wave
+	try
+		Make/FREE wv
+		AreIntervalsIntersecting(wv)
+		FAIL()
+	catch
+		CHECK_NO_RTE()
+	endtry
+
+	// trivial case #1: empty
+	Make/FREE/N=(0, 2) empty
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(0, AreIntervalsIntersecting(empty))
+
+	// trivial case #2: only one interval
+	Make/FREE single = {{1}, {2}}
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(0, AreIntervalsIntersecting(single))
+
+	// contains infinite values (start)
+	Make/FREE infValues = {{1, inf}, {2, 4}}
+
+	try
+		AreIntervalsIntersecting(infValues)
+		FAIL()
+	catch
+		CHECK_NO_RTE()
+	endtry
+
+	// contains infinite values (end)
+	Make/FREE infValues = {{1, 3}, {2, inf}}
+
+	try
+		AreIntervalsIntersecting(infValues)
+		FAIL()
+	catch
+		CHECK_NO_RTE()
+	endtry
+
+	// invalid ordering
+	Make/FREE invalidOrder = {{2, 3}, {1, 4}}
+
+	try
+		AreIntervalsIntersecting(invalidOrder)
+		FAIL()
+	catch
+		CHECK_NO_RTE()
+	endtry
+
+	// works
+	Make/FREE data = {{1, 3}, {2, 4}}
+	CHECK(!AreIntervalsIntersecting(data))
+
+	// intervals which have start == end is okay
+	Make/FREE data = {{1, 2}, {2, 3}}
+	CHECK(!AreIntervalsIntersecting(data))
+
+	Make/FREE data = {{2.5, 1, 2.7}, {2.6, 2.4, 4}}
+	CHECK(!AreIntervalsIntersecting(data))
+
+	Make/FREE data = {{2, 1}, {3, 4}}
+	CHECK(AreIntervalsIntersecting(data))
+End