diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.cc b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.cc
index 8bf3c3e43b..e89035c3b7 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.cc
@@ -348,6 +348,21 @@ PortAudioIO::host_api_list (std::vector<std::string>& api_list)
 	}
 }
 
+
+PaHostApiTypeId
+PortAudioIO::get_current_host_api_type () const
+{
+	const PaHostApiInfo* info = Pa_GetHostApiInfo (_host_api_index);
+
+	if (info == NULL) {
+		DEBUG_AUDIO(string_compose(
+		    "Unable to determine Host API type from index %1\n", _host_api_index));
+		return (PaHostApiTypeId)0;
+	}
+
+	return info->type;
+}
+
 std::string
 PortAudioIO::get_host_api_name_from_index (PaHostApiIndex index)
 {
diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.h b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.h
index fb1524ab83..19604d9ae4 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.h
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_io.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public:
 	void host_api_list (std::vector<std::string>&);
 	bool set_host_api (const std::string& host_api_name);
 	std::string get_host_api () const { return _host_api_name; }
+	PaHostApiTypeId get_current_host_api_type () const;
 	PaHostApiIndex get_host_api_index_from_name (const std::string& name);
 
 	PaDeviceIndex get_default_input_device ();