diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
index af41c32679..ebbca817b8 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
@@ -118,6 +118,15 @@ qemuHostdevUpdateActiveDomainDevices(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     return 0;
 }
 
+
+bool
+qemuHostdevNeedsVFIO(const virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev)
+{
+    return virHostdevIsVFIODevice(hostdev) ||
+        virHostdevIsMdevDevice(hostdev);
+}
+
+
 bool
 qemuHostdevHostSupportsPassthroughVFIO(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.h b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.h
index e99c204961..536069fe8a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include "qemu_conf.h"
 #include "domain_conf.h"
 
+bool qemuHostdevNeedsVFIO(const virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev);
+
 bool qemuHostdevHostSupportsPassthroughVFIO(void);
 
 int qemuHostdevUpdateActiveMediatedDevices(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,