diff --git a/hw/vfio/helpers.c b/hw/vfio/helpers.c
index 913796f437..4b255d4f3a 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/helpers.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/helpers.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 
 #include "hw/vfio/vfio-common.h"
+#include "hw/vfio/pci.h"
 #include "hw/hw.h"
 #include "trace.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
@@ -728,3 +729,12 @@ bool vfio_device_hiod_realize(VFIODevice *vbasedev, Error **errp)
 
     return HOST_IOMMU_DEVICE_GET_CLASS(hiod)->realize(hiod, vbasedev, errp);
 }
+
+VFIODevice *vfio_get_vfio_device(Object *obj)
+{
+    if (object_dynamic_cast(obj, TYPE_VFIO_PCI)) {
+        return &VFIO_PCI(obj)->vbasedev;
+    } else {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/include/hw/vfio/vfio-common.h b/include/hw/vfio/vfio-common.h
index 0c60be5b15..ac35136a11 100644
--- a/include/hw/vfio/vfio-common.h
+++ b/include/hw/vfio/vfio-common.h
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ bool vfio_device_hiod_realize(VFIODevice *vbasedev, Error **errp);
 bool vfio_attach_device(char *name, VFIODevice *vbasedev,
                         AddressSpace *as, Error **errp);
 void vfio_detach_device(VFIODevice *vbasedev);
+VFIODevice *vfio_get_vfio_device(Object *obj);
 
 int vfio_kvm_device_add_fd(int fd, Error **errp);
 int vfio_kvm_device_del_fd(int fd, Error **errp);