diff --git a/src/virtManager/config.py b/src/virtManager/config.py
index d28b08311..d7da2369e 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/config.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/config.py
@@ -104,8 +104,39 @@ class vmmConfig(object):
         self._objects = []
 
         self.support_threading = virtinst.support.support_threading()
+
+        self.support_inspection = self.check_inspection(self.support_threading)
+
         self._spice_error = None
 
+    def check_inspection(self, support_threading):
+        if not support_threading:
+            return False
+
+        try:
+            # Check we can open the Python guestfs module.
+            from guestfs import GuestFS
+            g = GuestFS()
+
+            # Check for the first version which fixed Python GIL bug.
+            version = g.version()
+            if version["major"] == 1: # major must be 1
+                if version["minor"] == 8:
+                    if version["release"] >= 6: # >= 1.8.6
+                        return True
+                elif version["minor"] == 10:
+                    if version["release"] >= 1: # >= 1.10.1
+                        return True
+                elif version["minor"] == 11:
+                    if version["release"] >= 2: # >= 1.11.2
+                        return True
+                elif version["minor"] >= 12:    # >= 1.12, 1.13, etc.
+                    return True
+        except:
+            pass
+
+        return False
+
     # General app wide helpers (gconf agnostic)
 
     def get_shutdown_icon_name(self):
diff --git a/src/virtManager/engine.py b/src/virtManager/engine.py
index dbbb8bd70..a310b8e29 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/engine.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/engine.py
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ class vmmEngine(vmmGObject):
         if not self.config.support_threading:
             logging.debug("Libvirt doesn't support threading, skipping.")
 
+        self.inspection_thread = None
+        self._create_inspection_thread()
+
         # Counter keeping track of how many manager and details windows
         # are open. When it is decremented to 0, close the app or
         # keep running in system tray if enabled
@@ -531,6 +534,20 @@ class vmmEngine(vmmGObject):
         logging.debug("Exiting app normally.")
         gtk.main_quit()
 
+    def _create_inspection_thread(self):
+        if not self.config.support_inspection:
+            logging.debug("No inspection thread because "
+                          "libguestfs is too old, not available, "
+                          "or libvirt is not thread safe.")
+            return
+        from virtManager.inspection import vmmInspection
+        self.inspection_thread = vmmInspection()
+        self.inspection_thread.daemon = True
+        self.inspection_thread.start()
+        self.connect("connection-added", self.inspection_thread.conn_added)
+        self.connect("connection-removed", self.inspection_thread.conn_removed)
+        return
+
     def add_connection(self, uri):
         conn = self._check_connection(uri)
         if conn:
diff --git a/src/virtManager/inspection.py b/src/virtManager/inspection.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99b225f6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/virtManager/inspection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,204 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2011 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston,
+# MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+
+import time
+from Queue import Queue, Empty
+from threading import Thread
+
+from guestfs import GuestFS
+
+import logging
+
+class vmmInspection(Thread):
+    _name = "inspection thread"
+    _wait = 15 # seconds
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        Thread.__init__(self, name=self._name)
+        self._q = Queue()
+        self._conns = dict()
+        self._vmseen = dict()
+
+    # Called by the main thread whenever a connection is added or
+    # removed.  We tell the inspection thread, so it can track
+    # connections.
+    def conn_added(self, engine_ignore, conn):
+        obj = ("conn_added", conn)
+        self._q.put(obj)
+
+    def conn_removed(self, engine_ignore, uri):
+        obj = ("conn_removed", uri)
+        self._q.put(obj)
+
+    # Called by the main thread whenever a VM is added to vmlist.
+    def vm_added(self):
+        obj = ("vm_added")
+        self._q.put(obj)
+
+    def run(self):
+        # Wait a few seconds before we do anything.  This prevents
+        # inspection from being a burden for initial virt-manager
+        # interactivity (although it shouldn't affect interactivity at
+        # all).
+        logging.debug("%s: waiting" % self._name)
+        time.sleep(self._wait)
+
+        while True:
+            logging.debug("%s: ready" % self._name)
+            self._process_queue()
+            self._process_vms()
+
+    # Process everything on the queue.  If the queue is empty when
+    # called, block.
+    def _process_queue(self):
+        first_obj = self._q.get()
+        self._process_queue_item(first_obj)
+        self._q.task_done()
+        try:
+            while True:
+                obj = self._q.get(False)
+                self._process_queue_item(obj)
+                self._q.task_done()
+        except Empty:
+            pass
+
+    def _process_queue_item(self, obj):
+        if obj[0] == "conn_added":
+            conn = obj[1]
+            if conn and not (conn.is_remote()):
+                uri = conn.get_uri()
+                self._conns[uri] = conn
+        elif obj[0] == "conn_removed":
+            uri = obj[1]
+            del self._conns[uri]
+        elif obj[0] == "vm_added":
+            # Nothing - just a signal for the inspection thread to wake up.
+            pass
+
+    # Any VMs we've not seen yet?  If so, process them.
+    def _process_vms(self):
+        for conn in self._conns.itervalues():
+            for vmuuid in conn.list_vm_uuids():
+                if not (vmuuid in self._vmseen):
+                    logging.debug("%s: processing started on '%s'" %
+                                  (self._name, vmuuid))
+                    try:
+                        vm = conn.get_vm(vmuuid)
+                        # Whether success or failure, we've "seen" this VM now.
+                        self._vmseen[vmuuid] = True
+                        self._process(conn, vm, vmuuid)
+                    except:
+                        logging.exception("%s: exception while processing '%s'" %
+                                          (self._name, vmuuid))
+                    logging.debug("%s: processing done on '%s'" %
+                                  (self._name, vmuuid))
+
+    def _process(self, conn_ignore, vm, vmuuid):
+        # Add the disks.  Note they *must* be added with readonly flag set.
+        g = GuestFS()
+        for disk in vm.get_disk_devices():
+            path = disk.path
+            driver_type = disk.driver_type
+            if (disk.type == "block" or disk.type == "file") and path != None:
+                g.add_drive_opts(path, readonly=1, format=driver_type)
+
+        g.launch()
+
+        # Inspect the operating system.
+        roots = g.inspect_os()
+        if len(roots) == 0:
+            logging.debug("%s: %s: no operating systems found" %
+                          (self._name, vmuuid))
+            return
+
+        # Arbitrarily pick the first root device.
+        root = roots[0]
+
+        # Inspection results.
+        typ = g.inspect_get_type(root) # eg. "linux"
+        distro = g.inspect_get_distro(root) # eg. "fedora"
+        major_version = g.inspect_get_major_version(root) # eg. 14
+        minor_version = g.inspect_get_minor_version(root) # eg. 0
+        hostname = g.inspect_get_hostname(root) # string
+        product_name = g.inspect_get_product_name(root) # string
+
+        # Added in libguestfs 1.9.13:
+        product_variant = None
+        if hasattr(g, "inspect_get_product_variant"):
+            product_variant = g.inspect_get_product_variant(root) # string
+
+        # For inspect_list_applications and inspect_get_icon we
+        # require that the guest filesystems are mounted.  However
+        # don't fail if this is not possible (I'm looking at you,
+        # FreeBSD).
+        filesystems_mounted = False
+        try:
+            # Mount up the disks, like guestfish --ro -i.
+
+            # Sort keys by length, shortest first, so that we end up
+            # mounting the filesystems in the correct order.
+            mps = g.inspect_get_mountpoints(root)
+            def compare(a, b):
+                if len(a[0]) > len(b[0]):
+                    return 1
+                elif len(a[0]) == len(b[0]):
+                    return 0
+                else:
+                    return -1
+            mps.sort(compare)
+
+            for mp_dev in mps:
+                try:
+                    g.mount_ro(mp_dev[1], mp_dev[0])
+                except:
+                    logging.exception("%s: exception mounting %s on %s "
+                                      "(ignored)" % (
+                            self._name,
+                            mp_dev[1], mp_dev[0]))
+
+            filesystems_mounted = True
+        except:
+            logging.exception("%s: exception while mounting disks (ignored)" %
+                              self._name)
+
+        icon = None
+        apps = None
+        if filesystems_mounted:
+            # Added in libguestfs 1.11.12:
+            if hasattr(g, "inspect_get_icon"):
+                # string containing PNG data
+                icon = g.inspect_get_icon(root, favicon=0, highquality=1)
+                if icon == "":
+                    icon = None
+
+            # Inspection applications.
+            apps = g.inspect_list_applications(root)
+
+        # Force the libguestfs handle to close right now.
+        del g
+
+        # Log what we found.
+        logging.debug("%s: detected operating system: %s %s %d.%d (%s)",
+                      self._name, typ, distro, major_version, minor_version,
+                      product_name)
+        logging.debug("%s: hostname: %s", self._name, hostname)
+        if icon:
+            logging.debug("%s: icon: %d bytes", self._name, len(icon))
+        if apps:
+            logging.debug("%s: # apps: %d", self._name, len(apps))
diff --git a/src/virtManager/manager.py b/src/virtManager/manager.py
index 0cffa2139..f10879d43 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/manager.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/manager.py
@@ -682,6 +682,9 @@ class vmmManager(vmmGObjectUI):
 
         self._append_vm(model, vm, connection)
 
+        if self.engine.inspection_thread:
+            self.engine.inspection_thread.vm_added()
+
     def vm_removed(self, connection, uri_ignore, vmuuid):
         vmlist = self.widget("vm-list")
         model = vmlist.get_model()