diff --git a/ext/coverage/coverage.c b/ext/coverage/coverage.c
index 93cb2a5..af0cb87 100644
--- a/ext/coverage/coverage.c
+++ b/ext/coverage/coverage.c
@@ -33,13 +33,20 @@ rb_coverage_start(VALUE klass)
 }
 
 static int
-coverage_result_i(st_data_t key, st_data_t val, st_data_t h)
+coverage_clear_result_i(st_data_t key, st_data_t val, st_data_t h)
+{
+    VALUE coverage = (VALUE)val;
+    rb_ary_clear((VALUE)val);
+    return ST_CONTINUE;
+}
+
+static int
+coverage_peek_result_i(st_data_t key, st_data_t val, st_data_t h)
 {
     VALUE path = (VALUE)key;
     VALUE coverage = (VALUE)val;
     VALUE coverages = (VALUE)h;
     coverage = rb_ary_dup(coverage);
-    rb_ary_clear((VALUE)val);
     rb_ary_freeze(coverage);
     rb_hash_aset(coverages, path, coverage);
     return ST_CONTINUE;
@@ -47,21 +54,36 @@ coverage_result_i(st_data_t key, st_data_t val, st_data_t h)
 
 /*
  *  call-seq:
- *     Coverage.result  => hash
+ *     Coverage.peek_result  => hash
  *
- * Returns a hash that contains filename as key and coverage array as value
- * and disables coverage measurement.
+ * Returns a hash that contains filename as key and coverage array as value.
  */
 static VALUE
-rb_coverage_result(VALUE klass)
+rb_coverage_peek_result(VALUE klass)
 {
     VALUE coverages = rb_get_coverages();
     VALUE ncoverages = rb_hash_new();
     if (!RTEST(coverages)) {
 	rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "coverage measurement is not enabled");
     }
-    st_foreach(RHASH_TBL(coverages), coverage_result_i, ncoverages);
+    st_foreach(RHASH_TBL(coverages), coverage_peek_result_i, ncoverages);
     rb_hash_freeze(ncoverages);
+    return ncoverages;
+}
+
+/*
+ *  call-seq:
+ *     Coverage.result  => hash
+ *
+ * Returns a hash that contains filename as key and coverage array as value
+ * and disables coverage measurement.
+ */
+static VALUE
+rb_coverage_result(VALUE klass)
+{
+    VALUE ncoverages = rb_coverage_peek_result(klass);
+    VALUE coverages = rb_get_coverages();
+    st_foreach(RHASH_TBL(coverages), coverage_clear_result_i, ncoverages);
     rb_reset_coverages();
     return ncoverages;
 }
@@ -105,5 +127,6 @@ Init_coverage(void)
     VALUE rb_mCoverage = rb_define_module("Coverage");
     rb_define_module_function(rb_mCoverage, "start", rb_coverage_start, 0);
     rb_define_module_function(rb_mCoverage, "result", rb_coverage_result, 0);
+    rb_define_module_function(rb_mCoverage, "peek_result", rb_coverage_peek_result, 0);
     rb_gc_register_address(&rb_coverages);
 }
diff --git a/test/coverage/test_coverage.rb b/test/coverage/test_coverage.rb
index f4f192a..bade668 100644
--- a/test/coverage/test_coverage.rb
+++ b/test/coverage/test_coverage.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,32 @@ class TestCoverage < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  def test_coverage_snapshot
+    loaded_features = $".dup
+
+    Dir.mktmpdir {|tmp|
+      Dir.chdir(tmp) {
+        File.open("test.rb", "w") do |f|
+          f.puts <<-EOS
+            def coverage_test_method
+              :ok
+            end
+          EOS
+        end
+
+        Coverage.start
+        require tmp + '/test.rb'
+        cov = Coverage.peek_result[tmp + '/test.rb']
+        coverage_test_method
+        cov2 = Coverage.peek_result[tmp + '/test.rb']
+        assert_equal cov[1] + 1, cov2[1]
+        assert_equal cov2, Coverage.result[tmp + '/test.rb']
+      }
+    }
+  ensure
+    $".replace loaded_features
+  end
+
   def test_restarting_coverage
     loaded_features = $".dup