diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 0494e1f525..8dfb4cee99 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # bitmap.h
 virBitmapAlloc;
 virBitmapClearBit;
+virBitmapCopy;
 virBitmapFree;
 virBitmapGetBit;
 virBitmapSetBit;
diff --git a/src/util/bitmap.c b/src/util/bitmap.c
index 53a8a3875c..cd52802fac 100644
--- a/src/util/bitmap.c
+++ b/src/util/bitmap.c
@@ -93,6 +93,25 @@ void virBitmapFree(virBitmapPtr bitmap)
     }
 }
 
+
+int virBitmapCopy(virBitmapPtr dst, virBitmapPtr src)
+{
+    size_t sz;
+
+    if (dst->size != src->size) {
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    sz = (src->size + VIR_BITMAP_BITS_PER_UNIT - 1) /
+        VIR_BITMAP_BITS_PER_UNIT;
+
+    memcpy(dst->map, src->map, sz * sizeof(src->map[0]));
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virBitmapSetBit:
  * @bitmap: Pointer to bitmap
diff --git a/src/util/bitmap.h b/src/util/bitmap.h
index c3e6222b74..1d8750e8b0 100644
--- a/src/util/bitmap.h
+++ b/src/util/bitmap.h
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ virBitmapPtr virBitmapAlloc(size_t size) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
  */
 void virBitmapFree(virBitmapPtr bitmap);
 
+/*
+ * Copy all bits from @src to @dst. The bitmap sizes
+ * must be the same
+ */
+int virBitmapCopy(virBitmapPtr dst, virBitmapPtr src);
+
 /*
  * Set bit position @b in @bitmap
  */