diff --git a/libnm-glib/libnm-glib.ver b/libnm-glib/libnm-glib.ver
index 982288e50c..730af64ffd 100644
--- a/libnm-glib/libnm-glib.ver
+++ b/libnm-glib/libnm-glib.ver
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ global:
 	nm_device_infiniband_get_hw_address;
 	nm_device_infiniband_get_type;
 	nm_device_infiniband_new;
+	nm_device_is_software;
 	nm_device_modem_error_get_type;
 	nm_device_modem_error_quark;
 	nm_device_modem_get_current_capabilities;
diff --git a/libnm-glib/nm-device.c b/libnm-glib/nm-device.c
index 1a63d28d21..5df0d49c1e 100644
--- a/libnm-glib/nm-device.c
+++ b/libnm-glib/nm-device.c
@@ -2065,6 +2065,25 @@ nm_device_get_mtu (NMDevice *device)
 	return NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE (device)->mtu;
 }
 
+/**
+ * nm_device_is_software:
+ * @device: a #NMDevice
+ *
+ * Whether the device is a software device.
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE if @device is a software device, %FALSE if it is a hardware device.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.0
+ **/
+gboolean
+nm_device_is_software (NMDevice *device)
+{
+	g_return_val_if_fail (NM_IS_DEVICE (device), FALSE);
+
+	_nm_object_ensure_inited (NM_OBJECT (device));
+	return !!(NM_DEVICE_GET_PRIVATE (device)->capabilities & NM_DEVICE_CAP_IS_SOFTWARE);
+}
+
 typedef struct {
 	NMDevice *device;
 	NMDeviceDeactivateFn fn;
diff --git a/libnm-glib/nm-device.h b/libnm-glib/nm-device.h
index 3c57744a00..3c9b7fd45b 100644
--- a/libnm-glib/nm-device.h
+++ b/libnm-glib/nm-device.h
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ NM_AVAILABLE_IN_0_9_10
 const char *         nm_device_get_physical_port_id (NMDevice *device);
 NM_AVAILABLE_IN_0_9_10
 guint32              nm_device_get_mtu              (NMDevice *device);
+NM_AVAILABLE_IN_1_0
+gboolean             nm_device_is_software          (NMDevice *device);
 
 const char *         nm_device_get_product           (NMDevice  *device);
 const char *         nm_device_get_vendor            (NMDevice  *device);