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<b>Introduction : </b> C-reactive protein being an acute phase protein rises in pneumonia and may be helpful in differentiating patients with lung parenchymal infection from patients with infection sequestered to the bronchial tree. <b> Methods : </b> A prospective study was undertaken where 48 pneumonia patients and 35 patients of COPD with acute exacerbation were included. Serum CRP levels and other traditional markers of infection and chest x-ray were done on presentation. <b> Results : </b> The mean CRP was found to be 75.87&#x00B1;17.1mg/L in patients with pneumonia and 16.71&#x00B1;20.76mg/L in patients with COPD in acute exacerbation. A highly significant (p=0.0012) difference was found in the CRP values between the two groups using the &#x2032;t&#x2032; test. More than 70&#x0025; of pneumonia patients had CRP value&#62; 50mg/L with less than 3&#x0025; of COPD patients having the same. <b> Conclusion : </b> Serum CRP may be a useful adjunctive test in pneumonia patients in distinguishing endobronchial versus parenchymal infection. A CRP value of more than in 50mg/L favours pneumonia.