diff --git a/src/shell-network-agent.c b/src/shell-network-agent.c
index 8e1f82017..4fab298e5 100644
--- a/src/shell-network-agent.c
+++ b/src/shell-network-agent.c
@@ -478,6 +478,63 @@ shell_network_agent_respond (ShellNetworkAgent         *self,
   g_hash_table_remove (priv->requests, request_id);
 }
 
+static void
+search_vpn_plugin (GTask        *task,
+                   gpointer      object,
+                   gpointer      task_data,
+                   GCancellable *cancellable)
+{
+  NMVpnPluginInfo *info = NULL;
+  char *service = task_data;
+
+  info = nm_vpn_plugin_info_new_search_file (NULL, service);
+
+  if (info)
+    {
+      g_task_return_pointer (task, info, g_object_unref);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      g_task_return_new_error (task,
+                               G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_NOT_FOUND,
+                               "No plugin for %s", service);
+    }
+}
+
+void
+shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin (ShellNetworkAgent   *self,
+                                       const char          *service,
+                                       GAsyncReadyCallback  callback,
+                                       gpointer             user_data)
+{
+  g_autoptr(GTask) task = NULL;
+
+  g_return_if_fail (SHELL_IS_NETWORK_AGENT (self));
+  g_return_if_fail (service != NULL);
+
+  task = g_task_new (self, NULL, callback, user_data);
+  g_task_set_source_tag (task, shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin);
+  g_task_set_task_data (task, g_strdup (service), g_free);
+
+  g_task_run_in_thread (task, search_vpn_plugin);
+}
+
+/**
+ * shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin_finish:
+ *
+ * Returns: (nullable) (transfer full): The found plugin or %NULL
+ */
+NMVpnPluginInfo *
+shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin_finish (ShellNetworkAgent  *self,
+                                              GAsyncResult       *result,
+                                              GError            **error)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (SHELL_IS_NETWORK_AGENT (self), NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (G_IS_TASK (result), NULL);
+
+  return g_task_propagate_pointer (G_TASK (result), error);
+}
+
 static void
 shell_network_agent_cancel_get_secrets (NMSecretAgentOld *agent,
                                         const gchar      *connection_path,
diff --git a/src/shell-network-agent.h b/src/shell-network-agent.h
index 73dfe5b1d..e01b368f0 100644
--- a/src/shell-network-agent.h
+++ b/src/shell-network-agent.h
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ void               shell_network_agent_respond      (ShellNetworkAgent *self,
                                                      gchar             *request_id,
                                                      ShellNetworkAgentResponse response);
 
+void               shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin (ShellNetworkAgent   *self,
+                                                          const char          *service,
+                                                          GAsyncReadyCallback  callback,
+                                                          gpointer             user_data);
+NMVpnPluginInfo   *shell_network_agent_search_vpn_plugin_finish (ShellNetworkAgent  *self,
+                                                                 GAsyncResult       *result,
+                                                                 GError            **error);
+
 /* If these are kept in sync with nm-applet, secrets will be shared */
 #define SHELL_KEYRING_UUID_TAG "connection-uuid"
 #define SHELL_KEYRING_SN_TAG "setting-name"