diff --git a/include/linux/rtnetlink.h b/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
index a7d757e96c55..0cbbbded0331 100644
--- a/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
+++ b/include/linux/rtnetlink.h
@@ -137,4 +137,19 @@ static inline int rtnl_has_listeners(const struct net *net, u32 group)
 	return netlink_has_listeners(rtnl, group);
 }
 
+/**
+ * rtnl_notify_needed - check if notification is needed
+ * @net: Pointer to the net namespace
+ * @nlflags: netlink ingress message flags
+ * @group: rtnl group
+ *
+ * Based on the ingress message flags and rtnl group, returns true
+ * if a notification is needed, false otherwise.
+ */
+static inline bool
+rtnl_notify_needed(const struct net *net, u16 nlflags, u32 group)
+{
+	return (nlflags & NLM_F_ECHO) || rtnl_has_listeners(net, group);
+}
+
 #endif	/* __LINUX_RTNETLINK_H */