diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index c111c297f7..f45e63c88b 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -3774,6 +3774,17 @@ BlockDriverState *bdrv_lookup_bs(const char *device,
     return NULL;
 }
 
+/* If 'base' is in the same chain as 'top', return true. Otherwise,
+ * return false.  If either argument is NULL, return false. */
+bool bdrv_chain_contains(BlockDriverState *top, BlockDriverState *base)
+{
+    while (top && top != base) {
+        top = top->backing_hd;
+    }
+
+    return top != NULL;
+}
+
 BlockDriverState *bdrv_next(BlockDriverState *bs)
 {
     if (!bs) {
diff --git a/include/block/block.h b/include/block/block.h
index 7e92f549fb..29c9e50ddb 100644
--- a/include/block/block.h
+++ b/include/block/block.h
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ BlockDeviceInfoList *bdrv_named_nodes_list(void);
 BlockDriverState *bdrv_lookup_bs(const char *device,
                                  const char *node_name,
                                  Error **errp);
+bool bdrv_chain_contains(BlockDriverState *top, BlockDriverState *base);
 BlockDriverState *bdrv_next(BlockDriverState *bs);
 void bdrv_iterate(void (*it)(void *opaque, BlockDriverState *bs),
                   void *opaque);