diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.c b/src/cpu/cpu.c
index 2b0d641e78..ef515744ba 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.c
@@ -1345,6 +1345,31 @@ virCPUGetCheckMode(virArch arch,
 }
 
 
+/** virCPUGetCanonicalModel:
+ *
+ * @arch: CPU architecture
+ * @model: CPU model to be checked
+ *
+ * Returns @model's canonical name if @model is an alias or NULL otherwise.
+ */
+const char *
+virCPUGetCanonicalModel(virArch arch,
+                        const char *model)
+{
+    struct cpuArchDriver *driver;
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("arch=%s model=%s", virArchToString(arch), model);
+
+    if (!(driver = cpuGetSubDriver(arch)))
+        return NULL;
+
+    if (!driver->getCanonicalModel)
+        return NULL;
+
+    return driver->getCanonicalModel(model);
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virCPUArchIsSupported:
  *
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.h b/src/cpu/cpu.h
index ff68c5da2d..fc6a812eaa 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.h
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ typedef int
 (*virCPUArchGetCheckMode)(const char *modelName,
                           bool *compat);
 
+typedef const char *
+(*virCPUArchGetCanonicalModel)(const char *model);
+
 struct cpuArchDriver {
     const char *name;
     const virArch *arch;
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ struct cpuArchDriver {
     virCPUArchDataIsIdentical dataIsIdentical;
     virCPUArchDataGetHost dataGetHost;
     virCPUArchGetCheckMode getCheckMode;
+    virCPUArchGetCanonicalModel getCanonicalModel;
 };
 
 
@@ -324,6 +328,10 @@ virCPUGetCheckMode(virArch arch,
                    const virCPUDef *cpu,
                    bool *compat);
 
+const char *
+virCPUGetCanonicalModel(virArch arch,
+                        const char *model);
+
 bool
 virCPUArchIsSupported(virArch arch);
 
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
index ce3506be55..13695802da 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
@@ -3697,6 +3697,24 @@ virCPUx86GetCheckMode(const char *modelName,
 }
 
 
+static const char *
+virCPUx86GetCanonicalModel(const char *modelName)
+{
+    virCPUx86Map *map;
+    virCPUx86Model *model;
+
+    if (!(map = virCPUx86GetMap()))
+        return NULL;
+
+    model = x86ModelFind(map, modelName);
+
+    if (!model || !model->canonical)
+        return NULL;
+
+    return model->canonical->name;
+}
+
+
 struct cpuArchDriver cpuDriverX86 = {
     .name = "x86",
     .arch = archs,
@@ -3730,4 +3748,5 @@ struct cpuArchDriver cpuDriverX86 = {
     .dataGetHost = virCPUx86DataGetHost,
 #endif
     .getCheckMode = virCPUx86GetCheckMode,
+    .getCanonicalModel = virCPUx86GetCanonicalModel,
 };
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 5b9b44ef96..2a9d3230e1 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1543,6 +1543,7 @@ virCPUDataNewCopy;
 virCPUDataParse;
 virCPUDataParseNode;
 virCPUExpandFeatures;
+virCPUGetCanonicalModel;
 virCPUGetCheckMode;
 virCPUGetHost;
 virCPUGetHostIsSupported;