diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index df80951..44570d1 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 void runstate_set(RunState new_state);
 int runstate_is_running(void);
 bool runstate_needs_reset(void);
+bool runstate_store(char *str, size_t size);
 typedef struct vm_change_state_entry VMChangeStateEntry;
 typedef void VMChangeStateHandler(void *opaque, int running, RunState state);
 
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 69ad90c..fec7e93 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -634,6 +634,18 @@
     return current_run_state == state;
 }
 
+bool runstate_store(char *str, size_t size)
+{
+    const char *state = RunState_lookup[current_run_state];
+    size_t len = strlen(state) + 1;
+
+    if (len > size) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    memcpy(str, state, len);
+    return true;
+}
+
 static void runstate_init(void)
 {
     const RunStateTransition *p;