diff --git a/device_tree.c b/device_tree.c
index d0378961f0..75412747b7 100644
--- a/device_tree.c
+++ b/device_tree.c
@@ -191,6 +191,13 @@ int qemu_devtree_setprop_phandle(void *fdt, const char *node_path,
     return qemu_devtree_setprop_cell(fdt, node_path, property, phandle);
 }
 
+uint32_t qemu_devtree_alloc_phandle(void *fdt)
+{
+    static int phandle = 0x8000;
+
+    return phandle++;
+}
+
 int qemu_devtree_nop_node(void *fdt, const char *node_path)
 {
     int r;
diff --git a/device_tree.h b/device_tree.h
index 5f76f40eeb..97af3454f7 100644
--- a/device_tree.h
+++ b/device_tree.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ int qemu_devtree_setprop_phandle(void *fdt, const char *node_path,
                                  const char *property,
                                  const char *target_node_path);
 uint32_t qemu_devtree_get_phandle(void *fdt, const char *path);
+uint32_t qemu_devtree_alloc_phandle(void *fdt);
 int qemu_devtree_nop_node(void *fdt, const char *node_path);
 int qemu_devtree_add_subnode(void *fdt, const char *name);