diff --git a/lib/libutil/Makefile b/lib/libutil/Makefile
index 0bba8b54adfa..abcc211e250b 100644
--- a/lib/libutil/Makefile
+++ b/lib/libutil/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.73 2012/04/07 16:44:39 christos Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.74 2013/05/02 07:17:09 matt Exp $
 #	@(#)Makefile	8.1 (Berkeley) 6/4/93
 
 USE_SHLIBDIR=	yes
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ WARNS?=	5
 LIB=	util
 CPPFLAGS+=-DLIBC_SCCS -I${.CURDIR}
 LINTFLAGS+=-w
-SRCS+=	efun.c getbootfile.c getlabelsector.c getmaxpartitions.c \
+SRCS+=	efun.c \
+	getbootfile.c getbyteorder.c getlabelsector.c getmaxpartitions.c \
 	getfsspecname.c getmntopts.c getrawpartition.c getdiskrawname.c \
 	disklabel_dkcksum.c disklabel_scan.c \
 	if_media.c \
@@ -22,7 +23,8 @@ SRCS+=	efun.c getbootfile.c getlabelsector.c getmaxpartitions.c \
 	secure_path.c sockaddr_snprintf.c stat_flags.c \
 	strpct.c ttyaction.c ttymsg.c
 
-MAN=	efun.3 getbootfile.3 getfstypename.3 getlabelsector.3 \
+MAN=	efun.3 \
+	getbootfile.3 getbyteorder.3 getfstypename.3 getlabelsector.3 \
 	getmaxpartitions.3 getmntopts.3 getrawpartition.3 \
 	getdiskrawname.3 getfsspecname.3 \
 	login.3 login_cap.3 loginx.3 \
diff --git a/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.3 b/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.3
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4d8943ab2f2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.3
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+.\"	$NetBSD: getbyteorder.3,v 1.1 2013/05/02 07:17:09 matt Exp $
+.\"
+.\" Copyright (c) 1996 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
+.\" All rights reserved.
+.\"
+.\" This code is derived from software contributed to The NetBSD Foundation
+.\" by Jason R. Thorpe.
+.\"
+.\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+.\" modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+.\" are met:
+.\" 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+.\" 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+.\"    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+.\"
+.\" THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE NETBSD FOUNDATION, INC. AND CONTRIBUTORS
+.\" ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+.\" TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+.\" PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS
+.\" BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+.\" CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+.\" SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+.\" INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+.\" CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+.\" ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+.\" POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+.\"
+.Dd May 1, 2013
+.Dt GETBYTEORDER 3
+.Os
+.Sh NAME
+.Nm getbyteorder
+.Nd get the current byte order
+.Sh LIBRARY
+.Lb libutil
+.Sh SYNOPSIS
+.In util.h
+.In sys/endian.h
+.Ft int
+.Fn getbyteorder void
+.Sh DESCRIPTION
+.Fn getbyteorder
+returns LITTLE_ENDIAN, BIG_ENDIAN,
+or \-1 in case of an error, setting the global
+.Va errno
+variable.
+The possible values for
+.Va errno
+are the same as in
+.Xr sysctl 3 .
+.Sh SEE ALSO
+.Xr sysctl 3
+.Sh HISTORY
+The
+.Fn getbyteorder
+function call appeared in
+.Nx 7 .
diff --git a/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.c b/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e29928020ac4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libutil/getbyteorder.c
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*	$NetBSD: getbyteorder.c,v 1.1 2013/05/02 07:17:10 matt Exp $	*/
+
+/*-
+ * Copyright (c) 1996 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This code is derived from software contributed to The NetBSD Foundation
+ * by Jason R. Thorpe.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE NETBSD FOUNDATION, INC. AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+ * TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS
+ * BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+ * CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+ * SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+ * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include <sys/cdefs.h>
+#if defined(LIBC_SCCS) && !defined(lint)
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: getbyteorder.c,v 1.1 2013/05/02 07:17:10 matt Exp $");
+#endif
+
+#include <sys/param.h>
+#include <sys/sysctl.h>
+#include <util.h>
+
+int
+getbyteorder(void)
+{
+	int byteorder, mib[2];
+	size_t varlen;
+
+	mib[0] = CTL_HW;
+	mib[1] = HW_BYTEORDER;
+	varlen = sizeof(byteorder);
+	if (sysctl(mib, 2, &byteorder, &varlen, NULL, (size_t)0) < 0)
+		return (-1);
+
+	return (byteorder);
+}