Index: src/shell.c
==================================================================
--- src/shell.c
+++ src/shell.c
@@ -1107,10 +1107,12 @@
     fprintf(pArg->out, "Fullscan Steps:                      %d\n", iCur);
     iCur = sqlite3_stmt_status(pArg->pStmt, SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_SORT, bReset);
     fprintf(pArg->out, "Sort Operations:                     %d\n", iCur);
     iCur = sqlite3_stmt_status(pArg->pStmt, SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_AUTOINDEX, bReset);
     fprintf(pArg->out, "Autoindex Inserts:                   %d\n", iCur);
+    iCur = sqlite3_stmt_status(pArg->pStmt, SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP, bReset);
+    fprintf(pArg->out, "Virtual Machine Steps:               %d\n", iCur);
   }
 
   return 0;
 }
 

Index: src/sqlite.h.in
==================================================================
--- src/sqlite.h.in
+++ src/sqlite.h.in
@@ -6301,15 +6301,25 @@
 ** <dd>^This is the number of rows inserted into transient indices that
 ** were created automatically in order to help joins run faster.
 ** A non-zero value in this counter may indicate an opportunity to
 ** improvement performance by adding permanent indices that do not
 ** need to be reinitialized each time the statement is run.</dd>
+**
+** [[SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP]] <dt>SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP</dt>
+** <dd>^This is the number of virtual machine operations executed
+** by the prepared statement if that number is less than or equal
+** to 2147483647.  The number of virtual machine operations can be 
+** used as a proxy for the total work done by the prepared statement.
+** If the number of virtual machine operations exceeds 2147483647
+** then the value returned by this statement status code is undefined.
+** </dd>
 ** </dl>
 */
 #define SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_FULLSCAN_STEP     1
 #define SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_SORT              2
 #define SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_AUTOINDEX         3
+#define SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP           4
 
 /*
 ** CAPI3REF: Custom Page Cache Object
 **
 ** The sqlite3_pcache type is opaque.  It is implemented by

Index: src/test1.c
==================================================================
--- src/test1.c
+++ src/test1.c
@@ -2216,10 +2216,11 @@
     int op;
   } aOp[] = {
     { "SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_FULLSCAN_STEP",   SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_FULLSCAN_STEP   },
     { "SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_SORT",            SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_SORT            },
     { "SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_AUTOINDEX",       SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_AUTOINDEX       },
+    { "SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP",         SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP         },
   };
   if( objc!=4 ){
     Tcl_WrongNumArgs(interp, 1, objv, "STMT PARAMETER RESETFLAG");
     return TCL_ERROR;
   }

Index: src/vdbe.c
==================================================================
--- src/vdbe.c
+++ src/vdbe.c
@@ -554,16 +554,17 @@
   u8 encoding = ENC(db);     /* The database encoding */
 #ifndef SQLITE_OMIT_PROGRESS_CALLBACK
   int checkProgress;         /* True if progress callbacks are enabled */
   int nProgressOps = 0;      /* Opcodes executed since progress callback. */
 #endif
+  int iCompare = 0;          /* Result of last OP_Compare operation */
+  unsigned nVmStep = 0;      /* Number of virtual machine steps */
   Mem *aMem = p->aMem;       /* Copy of p->aMem */
   Mem *pIn1 = 0;             /* 1st input operand */
   Mem *pIn2 = 0;             /* 2nd input operand */
   Mem *pIn3 = 0;             /* 3rd input operand */
   Mem *pOut = 0;             /* Output operand */
-  int iCompare = 0;          /* Result of last OP_Compare operation */
   int *aPermute = 0;         /* Permutation of columns for OP_Compare */
   i64 lastRowid = db->lastRowid;  /* Saved value of the last insert ROWID */
 #ifdef VDBE_PROFILE
   u64 start;                 /* CPU clock count at start of opcode */
   int origPc;                /* Program counter at start of opcode */
@@ -604,10 +605,11 @@
     if( db->mallocFailed ) goto no_mem;
 #ifdef VDBE_PROFILE
     origPc = pc;
     start = sqlite3Hwtime();
 #endif
+    nVmStep++;
     pOp = &aOp[pc];
 
     /* Only allow tracing if SQLITE_DEBUG is defined.
     */
 #ifdef SQLITE_DEBUG
@@ -6198,10 +6200,11 @@
   /* This is the only way out of this procedure.  We have to
   ** release the mutexes on btrees that were acquired at the
   ** top. */
 vdbe_return:
   db->lastRowid = lastRowid;
+  p->aCounter[SQLITE_STMTSTATUS_VM_STEP-1] += (int)nVmStep;
   sqlite3VdbeLeave(p);
   return rc;
 
   /* Jump to here if a string or blob larger than SQLITE_MAX_LENGTH
   ** is encountered.

Index: src/vdbeInt.h
==================================================================
--- src/vdbeInt.h
+++ src/vdbeInt.h
@@ -342,11 +342,11 @@
   bft doingRerun:1;       /* True if rerunning after an auto-reprepare */
   int nChange;            /* Number of db changes made since last reset */
   yDbMask btreeMask;      /* Bitmask of db->aDb[] entries referenced */
   yDbMask lockMask;       /* Subset of btreeMask that requires a lock */
   int iStatement;         /* Statement number (or 0 if has not opened stmt) */
-  int aCounter[3];        /* Counters used by sqlite3_stmt_status() */
+  int aCounter[4];        /* Counters used by sqlite3_stmt_status() */
 #ifndef SQLITE_OMIT_TRACE
   i64 startTime;          /* Time when query started - used for profiling */
 #endif
   i64 nFkConstraint;      /* Number of imm. FK constraints this VM */
   i64 nStmtDefCons;       /* Number of def. constraints when stmt started */