diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index e2345bba17..ae2135263e 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -5997,6 +5997,17 @@ virDomainDefValidate(virDomainDefPtr def,
     return 0;
 }
 
+int
+virDomainObjCheckActive(virDomainObjPtr dom)
+{
+    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(dom)) {
+       virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                      "%s", _("domain is not running"));
+       return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 
 /**
  * virDomainDeviceLoadparmIsValid
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index bbaa24137d..122a051b2a 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -2722,6 +2722,8 @@ virDomainObjIsActive(virDomainObjPtr dom)
     return dom->def->id != -1;
 }
 
+int virDomainObjCheckActive(virDomainObjPtr dom);
+
 int virDomainDefSetVcpusMax(virDomainDefPtr def,
                             unsigned int vcpus,
                             virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt);
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 0918e69525..b31f599bd2 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ virDomainNostateReasonTypeFromString;
 virDomainNostateReasonTypeToString;
 virDomainObjAssignDef;
 virDomainObjBroadcast;
+virDomainObjCheckActive;
 virDomainObjCopyPersistentDef;
 virDomainObjEndAPI;
 virDomainObjFormat;