diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 8c02df17af..29e9db930e 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1922,6 +1922,7 @@ virStorageSourceClear;
 virStorageSourceFree;
 virStorageSourceGetActualType;
 virStorageSourceGetSecurityLabelDef;
+virStorageSourceIsLocalStorage;
 virStorageSourceNewFromBacking;
 virStorageSourcePoolDefFree;
 virStorageSourcePoolModeTypeFromString;
diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.c b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
index 15043827b1..9208b77477 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.c
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
@@ -1742,6 +1742,13 @@ virStorageSourceGetActualType(virStorageSourcePtr def)
 }
 
 
+bool
+virStorageSourceIsLocalStorage(virStorageSourcePtr src)
+{
+    return virStorageSourceGetActualType(src) != VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_NETWORK;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virStorageSourceBackingStoreClear:
  *
diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.h b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
index 833fbe1c01..4f7357b229 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.h
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ virStorageNetHostDefPtr virStorageNetHostDefCopy(size_t nhosts,
 void virStorageSourcePoolDefFree(virStorageSourcePoolDefPtr def);
 void virStorageSourceClear(virStorageSourcePtr def);
 int virStorageSourceGetActualType(virStorageSourcePtr def);
+bool virStorageSourceIsLocalStorage(virStorageSourcePtr src);
 void virStorageSourceFree(virStorageSourcePtr def);
 void virStorageSourceBackingStoreClear(virStorageSourcePtr def);
 virStorageSourcePtr virStorageSourceNewFromBacking(virStorageSourcePtr parent);