diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
index b8d1d8a1f1..6d0436cd95 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
@@ -279,6 +279,27 @@ nm_platform_sysctl_get (const char *path)
  */
 gint32
 nm_platform_sysctl_get_int32 (const char *path, gint32 fallback)
+{
+	return nm_platform_sysctl_get_int_checked (path, 10, G_MININT32, G_MAXINT32, fallback);
+}
+
+/**
+ * nm_platform_sysctl_get_int_checked:
+ * @path: Absolute path to sysctl
+ * @base: base of numeric conversion
+ * @min: minimal value that is still valid
+ * @max: maximal value that is still valid
+ * @fallback: default value, if the content of path could not be read
+ * as valid integer.
+ *
+ * Returns: contents of the sysctl file parsed as s64 integer, or
+ * @fallback on error. On error, %errno will be set to a non-zero
+ * value. On success, %errno will be set to zero. The returned value
+ * will always be in the range between @min and @max
+ * (inclusive) or @fallback.
+ */
+gint64
+nm_platform_sysctl_get_int_checked (const char *path, guint base, gint64 min, gint64 max, gint64 fallback)
 {
 	char *value = NULL;
 	gint32 ret;
@@ -293,7 +314,7 @@ nm_platform_sysctl_get_int32 (const char *path, gint32 fallback)
 		return fallback;
 	}
 
-	ret = nm_utils_ascii_str_to_int64 (value, 10, G_MININT32, G_MAXINT32, fallback);
+	ret = nm_utils_ascii_str_to_int64 (value, base, min, max, fallback);
 	g_free (value);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.h b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
index 356af1f940..3128ba5fb7 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ void nm_platform_query_devices (void);
 gboolean nm_platform_sysctl_set (const char *path, const char *value);
 char *nm_platform_sysctl_get (const char *path);
 gint32 nm_platform_sysctl_get_int32 (const char *path, gint32 fallback);
+gint64 nm_platform_sysctl_get_int_checked (const char *path, guint base, gint64 min, gint64 max, gint64 fallback);
 
 GArray *nm_platform_link_get_all (void);
 gboolean nm_platform_dummy_add (const char *name);