diff --git a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.c b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.c
index d41bf169b..553dfc526 100644
--- a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.c
+++ b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.c
@@ -1052,3 +1052,35 @@ nm_utils_ip6_property_path (const char *ifname, const char *property)
 
 	return path;
 }
+
+const char *
+ASSERT_VALID_PATH_COMPONENT (const char *name)
+{
+	const char *n;
+
+	if (name == NULL || name[0] == '\0')
+		goto fail;
+
+	if (name[0] == '.') {
+		if (name[1] == '\0')
+			goto fail;
+		if (name[1] == '.' && name[2] == '\0')
+			goto fail;
+	}
+	n = name;
+	do {
+		if (*n == '/')
+			goto fail;
+	} while (*(++n) != '\0');
+
+	return name;
+fail:
+	if (name)
+		nm_log_err (LOGD_CORE, "Failed asserting path component: NULL");
+	else
+		nm_log_err (LOGD_CORE, "Failed asserting path component: \"%s\"", name);
+	g_assert_not_reached ();
+	g_return_val_if_reached ("XXXXX");
+	return "XXXXX";
+}
+
diff --git a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
index cf55b0779..18a0d90fe 100644
--- a/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
+++ b/src/NetworkManagerUtils.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ gint64 nm_utils_get_monotonic_timestamp_us (void);
 gint64 nm_utils_get_monotonic_timestamp_ms (void);
 gint32 nm_utils_get_monotonic_timestamp_s (void);
 
+const char *ASSERT_VALID_PATH_COMPONENT (const char *name) G_GNUC_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 const char *nm_utils_ip6_property_path (const char *ifname, const char *property);
 
 #endif /* NETWORK_MANAGER_UTILS_H */