diff --git a/include/spdk/vhost.h b/include/spdk/vhost.h
index 201f6bced..5cfe14a54 100644
--- a/include/spdk/vhost.h
+++ b/include/spdk/vhost.h
@@ -109,10 +109,17 @@ void spdk_vhost_shutdown_cb(void);
 struct spdk_vhost_dev;
 
 /**
- * Lock the global vhost mutex, which synchronizes all the vhost device accesses.
+ * Lock the global vhost mutex synchronizing all the vhost device accesses.
  */
 void spdk_vhost_lock(void);
 
+/**
+ * Lock the global vhost mutex synchronizing all the vhost device accesses.
+ *
+ * \return 0 if the mutex could be locked immediately, negative errno otherwise.
+ */
+int spdk_vhost_trylock(void);
+
 /**
  * Unlock the global vhost mutex.
  */
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost.c b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
index 49c0aa9cf..55f56d5da 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -1403,6 +1403,12 @@ spdk_vhost_lock(void)
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_spdk_vhost_mutex);
 }
 
+int
+spdk_vhost_trylock(void)
+{
+	return -pthread_mutex_trylock(&g_spdk_vhost_mutex);
+}
+
 void
 spdk_vhost_unlock(void)
 {