diff --git a/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4-c-lease.c b/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4-c-lease.c
index c14a9daf0a..695a112ab7 100644
--- a/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4-c-lease.c
+++ b/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4-c-lease.c
@@ -217,6 +217,18 @@ _c_public_ void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_siaddr(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, struct
         siaddr->s_addr = header->siaddr;
 }
 
+/**
+ * n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_basetime() - get the timestamp when the lease was received.
+ * @lease:                      the lease to operate on
+ * @ns_basetimep:               return argument for the base time in nano seconds
+ *
+ * Gets the timestamp when the lease was received in CLOCK_BOOTTIME. This
+ * is also the base timestamp for the expiration of the lifetime and t1/t2.
+ */
+_c_public_ void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_basetime(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, uint64_t *ns_basetimep) {
+        *ns_basetimep = lease->message->userdata.base_time;
+}
+
 /**
  * n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_lifetime() - get the lifetime
  * @lease:                      the lease to operate on
diff --git a/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4.h b/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4.h
index ef75eca7c8..a800352b50 100644
--- a/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4.h
+++ b/shared/n-dhcp4/src/n-dhcp4.h
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ NDhcp4ClientLease *n_dhcp4_client_lease_unref(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease);
 
 void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_yiaddr(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, struct in_addr *yiaddr);
 void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_siaddr(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, struct in_addr *siaddr);
+void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_basetime(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, uint64_t *ns_basetimep);
 void n_dhcp4_client_lease_get_lifetime(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, uint64_t *ns_lifetimep);
 int n_dhcp4_client_lease_query(NDhcp4ClientLease *lease, uint8_t option, uint8_t **datap, size_t *n_datap);