diff --git a/include/libvirt/libvirt.h.in b/include/libvirt/libvirt.h.in
index 6c3adede77..2046f38868 100644
--- a/include/libvirt/libvirt.h.in
+++ b/include/libvirt/libvirt.h.in
@@ -1676,6 +1676,31 @@ int virInterfaceIsActive(virInterfacePtr iface);
 int virConnectIsEncrypted(virConnectPtr conn);
 int virConnectIsSecure(virConnectPtr conn);
 
+/*
+ * CPU specification API
+ */
+
+typedef enum {
+    VIR_CPU_COMPARE_ERROR           = -1,
+    VIR_CPU_COMPARE_INCOMPATIBLE    = 0,
+    VIR_CPU_COMPARE_IDENTICAL       = 1,
+    VIR_CPU_COMPARE_SUPERSET        = 2
+} virCPUCompareResult;
+
+/**
+ * virConnectCompareCPU:
+ *
+ * @conn: virConnect connection
+ * @xmlDesc: XML description of either guest or host cpu with <cpu> root tag
+ * @flags: comparison flags
+ *
+ * Compares given CPU with host cpu.
+ *
+ * Returns virCPUCompareResult.
+ */
+int virConnectCompareCPU(virConnectPtr conn,
+                         const char *xmlDesc,
+                         unsigned int flags);
 
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/libvirt_public.syms b/src/libvirt_public.syms
index b4f57e77b1..538b4d4efb 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_public.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_public.syms
@@ -343,4 +343,9 @@ LIBVIRT_0.7.3 {
 	virInterfaceIsActive;
 } LIBVIRT_0.7.2;
 
+LIBVIRT_0.7.5 {
+    global:
+        virConnectCompareCPU;
+} LIBVIRT_0.7.3;
+
 # .... define new API here using predicted next version number ....