diff --git a/daemon/admin_server.c b/daemon/admin_server.c
index 712a44beca..76d0b28d74 100644
--- a/daemon/admin_server.c
+++ b/daemon/admin_server.c
@@ -114,4 +114,27 @@ adminDispatchConnectClose(virNetServerPtr server ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
     return 0;
 }
 
+
+static char *
+admHello(virNetDaemonPtr dmn,
+         unsigned int flags)
+{
+    char *ret = NULL;
+    virNetServerPtr srv = NULL;
+    size_t nclients;
+
+    virCheckFlags(0, NULL);
+
+    if (!(srv = virNetDaemonGetServer(dmn, 0)))
+        return NULL;
+
+    nclients = virNetServerGetNClients(srv);
+    if (virAsprintf(&ret, "Clients: %zu", nclients) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+ cleanup:
+    virObjectUnref(srv);
+    return ret;
+}
+
 #include "admin_dispatch.h"
diff --git a/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h b/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
index b3cfc93fcb..27178b45ef 100644
--- a/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
+++ b/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ virAdmConnectPtr virAdmConnectOpen(const char *name, unsigned int flags);
 int virAdmConnectClose(virAdmConnectPtr conn);
 
 int virAdmConnectRef(virAdmConnectPtr conn);
+char *virAdmHello(virAdmConnectPtr conn, unsigned int flags);
 
 # ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index 189e2cc2f4..31f03d9e44 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+daemon/admin_dispatch.h
 daemon/admin_server.c
 daemon/libvirtd-config.c
 daemon/libvirtd.c
diff --git a/src/admin/admin_protocol.x b/src/admin/admin_protocol.x
index 1a2e94ee86..70954ccb87 100644
--- a/src/admin/admin_protocol.x
+++ b/src/admin/admin_protocol.x
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ struct admin_connect_open_args {
     unsigned int flags;
 };
 
+struct admin_hello_args {
+    unsigned int flags;
+};
+
+struct admin_hello_ret {
+    admin_string greeting;
+};
+
+
 /* Define the program number, protocol version and procedure numbers here. */
 const ADMIN_PROGRAM = 0x06900690;
 const ADMIN_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 1;
@@ -73,5 +82,10 @@ enum admin_procedure {
     /**
      * @generate: client
      */
-    ADMIN_PROC_CONNECT_CLOSE = 2
+    ADMIN_PROC_CONNECT_CLOSE = 2,
+
+    /**
+     * @generate: both
+     */
+    ADMIN_PROC_HELLO = 3
 };
diff --git a/src/admin_protocol-structs b/src/admin_protocol-structs
index 3ac31fa253..f91f7013ad 100644
--- a/src/admin_protocol-structs
+++ b/src/admin_protocol-structs
@@ -2,7 +2,14 @@
 struct admin_connect_open_args {
         u_int                      flags;
 };
+struct admin_hello_args {
+        u_int                      flags;
+};
+struct admin_hello_ret {
+        admin_string               greeting;
+};
 enum admin_procedure {
         ADMIN_PROC_CONNECT_OPEN = 1,
         ADMIN_PROC_CONNECT_CLOSE = 2,
+        ADMIN_PROC_HELLO = 3,
 };
diff --git a/src/libvirt-admin.c b/src/libvirt-admin.c
index 11b6fe3238..107e27e430 100644
--- a/src/libvirt-admin.c
+++ b/src/libvirt-admin.c
@@ -384,3 +384,29 @@ virAdmConnectRef(virAdmConnectPtr conn)
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+
+/**
+ * virAdmHello:
+ * @conn: a connection object
+ * @flags: unused, 0 for now
+ *
+ * Testing function.
+ *
+ * Returns the number of connected clients as a string.  Yes, as a
+ * string.  Because it's just for testing.
+ */
+char *
+virAdmHello(virAdmConnectPtr conn,
+            unsigned int flags)
+{
+    char *ret = NULL;
+
+    virResetLastError();
+
+    ret = remoteAdminHello(conn, flags);
+    if (!ret)
+        virDispatchError(NULL);
+
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/libvirt_admin.syms b/src/libvirt_admin.syms
index d9e3c0b1b9..a3c9e5fc3e 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_admin.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_admin.syms
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ LIBVIRT_ADMIN_1.3.0 {
         virAdmConnectOpen;
         virAdmConnectClose;
         virAdmConnectRef;
+        virAdmHello;
 };