diff --git a/include/spdk_internal/sock.h b/include/spdk_internal/sock.h
index b074366fc..138805ac4 100644
--- a/include/spdk_internal/sock.h
+++ b/include/spdk_internal/sock.h
@@ -324,6 +324,11 @@ void spdk_sock_map_release(struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id);
 int spdk_sock_map_lookup(struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id,
 			 struct spdk_sock_group_impl **group_impl);
 
+/**
+ * Find a placement id with no associated group
+ */
+int spdk_sock_map_find_free(struct spdk_sock_map *map);
+
 /**
  * Clean up all memory associated with the given map
  */
diff --git a/lib/sock/sock.c b/lib/sock/sock.c
index e72330410..1438f12d8 100644
--- a/lib/sock/sock.c
+++ b/lib/sock/sock.c
@@ -155,6 +155,25 @@ spdk_sock_map_cleanup(struct spdk_sock_map *map)
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&map->mtx);
 }
 
+int
+spdk_sock_map_find_free(struct spdk_sock_map *map)
+{
+	struct spdk_sock_placement_id_entry *entry;
+	int placement_id = -1;
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&map->mtx);
+	STAILQ_FOREACH(entry, &map->entries, link) {
+		if (entry->group == NULL) {
+			placement_id = entry->placement_id;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&map->mtx);
+
+	return placement_id;
+}
+
 int
 spdk_sock_get_optimal_sock_group(struct spdk_sock *sock, struct spdk_sock_group **group)
 {
diff --git a/lib/sock/spdk_sock.map b/lib/sock/spdk_sock.map
index 64fa372c9..65b98eb4f 100644
--- a/lib/sock/spdk_sock.map
+++ b/lib/sock/spdk_sock.map
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 	spdk_sock_map_insert;
 	spdk_sock_map_release;
 	spdk_sock_map_lookup;
+	spdk_sock_map_find_free;
 	spdk_sock_map_cleanup;
 
 	local: *;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/sock/posix.c/posix_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/sock/posix.c/posix_ut.c
index d83482795..da20cdbd8 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/sock/posix.c/posix_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/sock/posix.c/posix_ut.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_insert, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_sock_map_release, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id));
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_lookup, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id,
 					struct spdk_sock_group_impl **group), 0);
+DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_find_free, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map), -1);
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_sock_map_cleanup, (struct spdk_sock_map *map));
 
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_net_impl_register, (struct spdk_net_impl *impl, int priority));
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/sock/uring.c/uring_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/sock/uring.c/uring_ut.c
index 6454eb91d..c8d43459e 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/sock/uring.c/uring_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/sock/uring.c/uring_ut.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_insert, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_sock_map_release, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id));
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_lookup, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map, int placement_id,
 					struct spdk_sock_group_impl **group), 0);
+DEFINE_STUB(spdk_sock_map_find_free, int, (struct spdk_sock_map *map), -1);
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_sock_map_cleanup, (struct spdk_sock_map *map));
 
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_net_impl_register, (struct spdk_net_impl *impl, int priority));