diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.c b/src/cpu/cpu.c
index a7c7c381b9..dc72ed42d8 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.c
@@ -1076,3 +1076,32 @@ virCPUCopyMigratable(virArch arch,
     else
         return virCPUDefCopy(cpu);
 }
+
+
+/**
+ * virCPUValidateFeatures:
+ *
+ * @arch: CPU architecture
+ * @cpu: CPU definition to be checked
+ *
+ * Checks whether all CPU features specified in @cpu are valid.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success (all features are valid), -1 on error.
+ */
+int
+virCPUValidateFeatures(virArch arch,
+                       virCPUDefPtr cpu)
+{
+    struct cpuArchDriver *driver;
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("arch=%s, cpu=%p, nfeatures=%zu",
+              virArchToString(arch), cpu, cpu->nfeatures);
+
+    if (!(driver = cpuGetSubDriver(arch)))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (driver->validateFeatures)
+        return driver->validateFeatures(cpu);
+    else
+        return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.h b/src/cpu/cpu.h
index 5dda46ee70..5daff186c4 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.h
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ typedef int
 typedef virCPUDefPtr
 (*virCPUArchCopyMigratable)(virCPUDefPtr cpu);
 
+typedef int
+(*virCPUArchValidateFeatures)(virCPUDefPtr cpu);
+
 struct cpuArchDriver {
     const char *name;
     const virArch *arch;
@@ -142,6 +145,7 @@ struct cpuArchDriver {
     virCPUArchConvertLegacy convertLegacy;
     virCPUArchExpandFeatures expandFeatures;
     virCPUArchCopyMigratable copyMigratable;
+    virCPUArchValidateFeatures validateFeatures;
 };
 
 
@@ -258,6 +262,11 @@ virCPUDefPtr
 virCPUCopyMigratable(virArch arch,
                      virCPUDefPtr cpu);
 
+int
+virCPUValidateFeatures(virArch arch,
+                       virCPUDefPtr cpu)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
+
 /* virCPUDataFormat and virCPUDataParse are implemented for unit tests only and
  * have no real-life usage
  */
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index df9db78c65..d12db9b3ff 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1097,6 +1097,7 @@ virCPUProbeHost;
 virCPUTranslate;
 virCPUUpdate;
 virCPUUpdateLive;
+virCPUValidateFeatures;
 
 
 # cpu/cpu_x86.h