diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index a728fed383..72367c6cc7 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1874,6 +1874,7 @@ virFileIsExecutable;
 virFileIsLink;
 virFileLinkPointsTo;
 virFileLock;
+virFileMakeParentPath;
 virFileMakePath;
 virFileMakePathWithMode;
 virFileMatchesNameSuffix;
diff --git a/src/util/virutil.c b/src/util/virutil.c
index 1dcc5dfc12..a728903413 100644
--- a/src/util/virutil.c
+++ b/src/util/virutil.c
@@ -1360,6 +1360,34 @@ cleanup:
     return ret;
 }
 
+int
+virFileMakeParentPath(const char *path)
+{
+    char *p;
+    char *tmp;
+    int ret = -1;
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("path=%s", path);
+
+    if (!(tmp = strdup(path))) {
+        errno = ENOMEM;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if ((p = strrchr(tmp, '/')) == NULL) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    *p = '\0';
+
+    ret = virFileMakePathHelper(tmp, 0777);
+
+ cleanup:
+    VIR_FREE(tmp);
+    return ret;
+}
+
+
 /* Build up a fully qualified path for a config file to be
  * associated with a persistent guest or network */
 char *
diff --git a/src/util/virutil.h b/src/util/virutil.h
index 750006ac49..8f2d48118a 100644
--- a/src/util/virutil.h
+++ b/src/util/virutil.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ int virDirCreate(const char *path, mode_t mode, uid_t uid, gid_t gid,
 int virFileMakePath(const char *path) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 int virFileMakePathWithMode(const char *path,
                             mode_t mode) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
+int virFileMakeParentPath(const char *path) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 
 char *virFileBuildPath(const char *dir,
                        const char *name,