diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index f3b706e16e..4f1dd990cc 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -12506,6 +12506,40 @@ virDomainControllerFind(virDomainDefPtr def,
     return -1;
 }
 
+
+const char *
+virDomainControllerAliasFind(virDomainDefPtr def,
+                             int type, int idx)
+{
+    int contIndex;
+    const char *contTypeStr = virDomainControllerTypeToString(type);
+
+    if (!contTypeStr) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unknown controller type %d"),
+                       type);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    contIndex = virDomainControllerFind(def, type, idx);
+    if (contIndex < 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Could not find %s controller with index %d "
+                         "required for device"),
+                       contTypeStr, idx);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    if (!def->controllers[contIndex]->info.alias) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Device alias was not set for %s controller "
+                         "with index %d "),
+                       contTypeStr, idx);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    return def->controllers[contIndex]->info.alias;
+}
+
+
 int
 virDomainControllerFindByType(virDomainDefPtr def,
                               int type)
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 8312c2050b..2544cbc2cb 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -2745,6 +2745,9 @@ int virDomainControllerFindByType(virDomainDefPtr def, int type);
 int virDomainControllerFindByPCIAddress(virDomainDefPtr def,
                                         virDevicePCIAddressPtr addr);
 virDomainControllerDefPtr virDomainControllerRemove(virDomainDefPtr def, size_t i);
+const char *virDomainControllerAliasFind(virDomainDefPtr def,
+                                         int type, int idx)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
 
 int virDomainLeaseIndex(virDomainDefPtr def,
                         virDomainLeaseDefPtr lease);
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index f80fc70213..9c468dbe1d 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ virDomainClockBasisTypeToString;
 virDomainClockOffsetTypeFromString;
 virDomainClockOffsetTypeToString;
 virDomainConfigFile;
+virDomainControllerAliasFind;
 virDomainControllerDefFree;
 virDomainControllerFind;
 virDomainControllerFindByType;