diff --git a/include/libvirt/virterror.h b/include/libvirt/virterror.h
index 3864a31b31..cd7e3b31e0 100644
--- a/include/libvirt/virterror.h
+++ b/include/libvirt/virterror.h
@@ -313,6 +313,8 @@ void			virResetLastError	(void);
 void			virResetError		(virErrorPtr err);
 void			virFreeError		(virErrorPtr err);
 
+const char *            virGetLastErrorMessage  (void);
+
 virErrorPtr		virConnGetLastError	(virConnectPtr conn);
 void			virConnResetLastError	(virConnectPtr conn);
 int			virCopyLastError	(virErrorPtr to);
diff --git a/src/libvirt_public.syms b/src/libvirt_public.syms
index dfbf44ef53..4ee2d27539 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_public.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_public.syms
@@ -616,4 +616,9 @@ LIBVIRT_1.0.5 {
         virNodeDeviceDetachFlags;
 } LIBVIRT_1.0.3;
 
+LIBVIRT_1.0.6 {
+    global:
+        virGetLastErrorMessage;
+} LIBVIRT_1.0.5;
+
 # .... define new API here using predicted next version number ....
diff --git a/src/util/virerror.c b/src/util/virerror.c
index af4da8c8fb..4e1dc9a32b 100644
--- a/src/util/virerror.c
+++ b/src/util/virerror.c
@@ -234,6 +234,27 @@ virGetLastError(void)
     return err;
 }
 
+
+/**
+ * virGetLastErrorMessage:
+ *
+ * Get the most recent error message
+ *
+ * Returns the most recent error message string in this
+ * thread, or a generic message if none is set
+ */
+const char *
+virGetLastErrorMessage(void)
+{
+    virErrorPtr err = virLastErrorObject();
+    if (!err || err->code == VIR_ERR_OK)
+        return _("no error");
+    if (err->message == NULL)
+        return _("unknown error");
+    return err->message;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virSetError:
  * @newerr: previously saved error object