diff --git a/include/libvir.h b/include/libvir.h
index 20b855cab8..86d0e60875 100644
--- a/include/libvir.h
+++ b/include/libvir.h
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ int			virConnectListDomains	(virConnectPtr conn,
 						 int *ids,
 						 int maxids);
 
+/*
+ * Number of domains
+ */
+int			virConnectNumOfDomains	(virConnectPtr conn);
+
+
 /*
  * Domain creation and destruction
  */
diff --git a/src/libvir.c b/src/libvir.c
index fb711c4a56..bd578dc4be 100644
--- a/src/libvir.c
+++ b/src/libvir.c
@@ -257,6 +257,34 @@ done:
     return(ret);
 }
 
+/**
+ * virConnectNumOfDomains:
+ * @conn: pointer to the hypervisor connection
+ *
+ * Returns the number of domain found or -1 in case of error
+ */
+int
+virConnectNumOfDomains(virConnectPtr conn) {
+    struct xs_transaction_handle* t;
+    int ret = -1;
+    unsigned int num;
+    char **idlist = NULL;
+
+    if ((conn == NULL) || (conn->magic != VIR_CONNECT_MAGIC))
+        return(-1);
+    
+    t = xs_transaction_start(conn->xshandle);
+    if (t) {
+        idlist = xs_directory(conn->xshandle, t, "/local/domain", &num);
+        if (idlist) {
+            free(idlist);
+	    ret = num;
+        }
+        xs_transaction_end(conn->xshandle, t, 0);
+    }
+    return(ret);
+}
+
 /**
  * virDomainCreateLinux:
  * @conn: pointer to the hypervisor connection