diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 70ed87b953..cfeb43cf0d 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1791,6 +1791,7 @@ virISCSIScanTargets;
 
 
 # util/virjson.h
+virJSONStringReformat;
 virJSONValueArrayAppend;
 virJSONValueArrayForeachSteal;
 virJSONValueArrayGet;
diff --git a/src/util/virjson.c b/src/util/virjson.c
index 3804e7e977..c907b5ded1 100644
--- a/src/util/virjson.c
+++ b/src/util/virjson.c
@@ -1918,3 +1918,32 @@ virJSONValueToString(virJSONValuePtr object ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
     return NULL;
 }
 #endif
+
+
+/**
+ * virJSONStringReformat:
+ * @jsonstr: string to reformat
+ * @pretty: use the pretty formatter
+ *
+ * Reformats a JSON string by passing it to the parser and then to the
+ * formatter. If @pretty is true the JSON is formatted for human eye
+ * compatibility.
+ *
+ * Returns the reformatted JSON string on success; NULL and a libvirt error on
+ * failure.
+ */
+char *
+virJSONStringReformat(const char *jsonstr,
+                      bool pretty)
+{
+    virJSONValuePtr json;
+    char *ret;
+
+    if (!(json = virJSONValueFromString(jsonstr)))
+        return NULL;
+
+    ret = virJSONValueToString(json, pretty);
+
+    virJSONValueFree(json);
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/util/virjson.h b/src/util/virjson.h
index 122de96c52..5e32cb9a41 100644
--- a/src/util/virjson.h
+++ b/src/util/virjson.h
@@ -181,4 +181,6 @@ int virJSONValueObjectForeachKeyValue(virJSONValuePtr object,
 
 virJSONValuePtr virJSONValueCopy(const virJSONValue *in);
 
+char *virJSONStringReformat(const char *jsonstr, bool pretty);
+
 #endif /* __VIR_JSON_H_ */