diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.c b/src/cpu/cpu.c
index a2518d7cc7..1734561215 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.c
@@ -1241,6 +1241,37 @@ virCPUDataGetHost(void)
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * virCPUGetCheckMode:
+ * @arch: CPU architecture
+ * @cpu: CPU definition
+ * @compat: where to store compatible partial checking is required
+ *
+ * Gets the mode required for "partial" check of the CPU definition @cpu
+ * based on the CPU model used. On success @compat will be set to true if
+ * a compatible check needs to be done, false otherwise.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success, -1 otherwise.
+ */
+int
+virCPUGetCheckMode(virArch arch,
+                   const virCPUDef *cpu,
+                   bool *compat)
+{
+    struct cpuArchDriver *driver;
+
+    if (!(driver = cpuGetSubDriver(arch)))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (!driver->getCheckMode) {
+        *compat = true;
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    return driver->getCheckMode(cpu->model, compat);
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virCPUArchIsSupported:
  *
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.h b/src/cpu/cpu.h
index d092b4f3f0..ceb6eb0944 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.h
@@ -136,6 +136,10 @@ typedef virCPUCompareResult
 typedef virCPUData *
 (*virCPUArchDataGetHost)(void);
 
+typedef int
+(*virCPUArchGetCheckMode)(const char *modelName,
+                          bool *compat);
+
 struct cpuArchDriver {
     const char *name;
     const virArch *arch;
@@ -163,6 +167,7 @@ struct cpuArchDriver {
     virCPUArchDataAddFeature dataAddFeature;
     virCPUArchDataIsIdentical dataIsIdentical;
     virCPUArchDataGetHost dataGetHost;
+    virCPUArchGetCheckMode getCheckMode;
 };
 
 
@@ -307,6 +312,11 @@ virCPUDataIsIdentical(const virCPUData *a,
 virCPUData*
 virCPUDataGetHost(void);
 
+int
+virCPUGetCheckMode(virArch arch,
+                   const virCPUDef *cpu,
+                   bool *compat);
+
 bool
 virCPUArchIsSupported(virArch arch);
 
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
index 70893f8a62..97d6e00007 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
@@ -3608,6 +3608,38 @@ virCPUx86GetAddedFeatures(const char *modelName,
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * virCPUx86GetCheckMode:
+ * @modelName: CPU model
+ * @compat: where to store compatible partial checking is required
+ *
+ * Gets the mode required for "partial" check of a CPU definition which uses
+ * the @modelName. On success @compat will be set to true if a compatible
+ * check needs to be done, false otherwise.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success, -1 otherwise.
+ */
+static int
+virCPUx86GetCheckMode(const char *modelName,
+                      bool *compat)
+{
+    virCPUx86Map *map;
+    virCPUx86Model *model;
+
+    if (!(map = virCPUx86GetMap()))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (!(model = x86ModelFind(map, modelName))) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
+                       _("unknown CPU model %1$s"), modelName);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    *compat = model->compatCheck;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 struct cpuArchDriver cpuDriverX86 = {
     .name = "x86",
     .arch = archs,
@@ -3640,4 +3672,5 @@ struct cpuArchDriver cpuDriverX86 = {
     (defined(__linux__) || defined(__FreeBSD__))
     .dataGetHost = virCPUx86DataGetHost,
 #endif
+    .getCheckMode = virCPUx86GetCheckMode,
 };
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index e09fb98596..551cea989b 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1538,6 +1538,7 @@ virCPUDataNewCopy;
 virCPUDataParse;
 virCPUDataParseNode;
 virCPUExpandFeatures;
+virCPUGetCheckMode;
 virCPUGetHost;
 virCPUGetHostIsSupported;
 virCPUGetModels;