diff --git a/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.c b/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.c
index 6e6fed12c2..563b7cc2a5 100644
--- a/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.c
+++ b/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.c
@@ -6680,3 +6680,23 @@ nm_g_main_context_iterate_for_msec(GMainContext *context, guint timeout_msec)
     while (source)
         g_main_context_iteration(context, TRUE);
 }
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+gboolean
+nm_g_main_context_can_acquire(GMainContext *context)
+{
+    /* Fast path. Usually we don't pass contexts between threads
+     * and operate while iterating the context. Hence, usually we
+     * already acquired the context. Check that first. */
+    if (g_main_context_is_owner(context))
+        return TRUE;
+
+    /* Either the context is not owned, or owned by somebody else. Only
+     * one way to find out. */
+    if (!g_main_context_acquire(context))
+        return FALSE;
+
+    g_main_context_release(context);
+    return TRUE;
+}
diff --git a/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.h b/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.h
index 54550f2737..6e1ad658eb 100644
--- a/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.h
+++ b/src/libnm-glib-aux/nm-shared-utils.h
@@ -1931,6 +1931,8 @@ nm_g_main_context_iterate_ready(GMainContext *context)
 
 void nm_g_main_context_iterate_for_msec(GMainContext *context, guint timeout_msec);
 
+gboolean nm_g_main_context_can_acquire(GMainContext *context);
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 static inline int