diff --git a/src/nm-device-interface.c b/src/nm-device-interface.c
index 416363447..f6315cb3a 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-interface.c
+++ b/src/nm-device-interface.c
@@ -226,3 +226,12 @@ nm_device_interface_deactivate (NMDeviceInterface *device)
 	NM_DEVICE_INTERFACE_GET_INTERFACE (device)->deactivate (device);
 }
 
+NMDeviceState
+nm_device_interface_get_state (NMDeviceInterface *device)
+{
+	NMDeviceState state;
+
+	g_object_get (G_OBJECT (device), "state", &state, NULL);
+	return state;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/nm-device-interface.h b/src/nm-device-interface.h
index 0ccda1997..0cf8c644f 100644
--- a/src/nm-device-interface.h
+++ b/src/nm-device-interface.h
@@ -79,4 +79,6 @@ gboolean nm_device_interface_activate (NMDeviceInterface *device,
 
 void nm_device_interface_deactivate (NMDeviceInterface *device);
 
+NMDeviceState nm_device_interface_get_state (NMDeviceInterface *device);
+
 #endif /* NM_DEVICE_INTERFACE_H */