diff --git a/include/iwinfo.h b/include/iwinfo.h
index 68d459b..38120e6 100644
--- a/include/iwinfo.h
+++ b/include/iwinfo.h
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ struct iwinfo_ops {
 
 const char * iwinfo_type(const char *ifname);
 const struct iwinfo_ops * iwinfo_backend(const char *ifname);
+const struct iwinfo_ops * iwinfo_backend_by_name(const char *name);
 void iwinfo_finish(void);
 
 extern const struct iwinfo_ops wext_ops;
diff --git a/iwinfo_lib.c b/iwinfo_lib.c
index 4ae8f59..c30d834 100644
--- a/iwinfo_lib.c
+++ b/iwinfo_lib.c
@@ -350,6 +350,17 @@ const struct iwinfo_ops * iwinfo_backend(const char *ifname)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+const struct iwinfo_ops * iwinfo_backend_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(backends); i++)
+		if (!strcmp(backends[i]->name, name))
+			return backends[i];
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void iwinfo_finish(void)
 {
 	int i;