diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 2ea950c5cd..1df4b8cfe8 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -2411,6 +2411,7 @@ virIdentityGetUNIXGroupID;
 virIdentityGetUNIXUserID;
 virIdentityGetUserName;
 virIdentityGetX509DName;
+virIdentityIsCurrentElevated;
 virIdentityNew;
 virIdentityNewCopy;
 virIdentityRestoreHelper;
diff --git a/src/util/viridentity.c b/src/util/viridentity.c
index 2e3fcc5add..e7e5c31241 100644
--- a/src/util/viridentity.c
+++ b/src/util/viridentity.c
@@ -366,6 +366,34 @@ virIdentity *virIdentityGetSystem(void)
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * virIdentityIsCurrentElevated:
+ *
+ * Determine if the current identity has elevated privileges.
+ * This indicates that it was invoked on behalf of the
+ * user by a libvirt daemon.
+ *
+ * Returns: true if elevated
+ */
+int virIdentityIsCurrentElevated(void)
+{
+    g_autoptr(virIdentity) current = virIdentityGetCurrent();
+    const char *currentToken = NULL;
+    int rv;
+
+    if (!current) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+                       _("No current identity"));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    rv = virIdentityGetSystemToken(current, &currentToken);
+    if (rv <= 0)
+        return rv;
+
+    return STREQ_NULLABLE(currentToken, systemToken);
+}
+
 /**
  * virIdentityNew:
  *
diff --git a/src/util/viridentity.h b/src/util/viridentity.h
index 848e5b2056..6da6d0c557 100644
--- a/src/util/viridentity.h
+++ b/src/util/viridentity.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ virIdentity *virIdentityElevateCurrent(void);
 
 void virIdentityRestoreHelper(virIdentity **identptr);
 
+int virIdentityIsCurrentElevated(void);
 virIdentity *virIdentityGetSystem(void);
 
 virIdentity *virIdentityNew(void);