diff --git a/core/net/packetbuf.c b/core/net/packetbuf.c
index e67c8cf12..43994f61e 100644
--- a/core/net/packetbuf.c
+++ b/core/net/packetbuf.c
@@ -320,4 +320,11 @@ packetbuf_addr(uint8_t type)
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 #endif /* PACKETBUF_CONF_ATTRS_INLINE */
+int
+packetbuf_holds_broadcast(void)
+{
+  return linkaddr_cmp(&packetbuf_addrs[PACKETBUF_ADDR_RECEIVER - PACKETBUF_ADDR_FIRST].addr, &linkaddr_null);
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
 /** @} */
diff --git a/core/net/packetbuf.h b/core/net/packetbuf.h
index 2bfffd2dd..86e44bb16 100644
--- a/core/net/packetbuf.h
+++ b/core/net/packetbuf.h
@@ -453,6 +453,12 @@ int               packetbuf_set_addr(uint8_t type, const linkaddr_t *addr);
 const linkaddr_t *packetbuf_addr(uint8_t type);
 #endif /* PACKETBUF_CONF_ATTRS_INLINE */
 
+/**
+ * \brief      Checks whether the current packet is a broadcast.
+ * \retval 0   iff current packet is not a broadcast
+ */
+int               packetbuf_holds_broadcast(void);
+
 void              packetbuf_attr_clear(void);
 
 void              packetbuf_attr_copyto(struct packetbuf_attr *attrs,