diff --git a/cogl-vertex-buffer.h b/cogl-vertex-buffer.h
index 9342ceb5a..019adecc2 100644
--- a/cogl-vertex-buffer.h
+++ b/cogl-vertex-buffer.h
@@ -433,6 +433,20 @@ cogl_vertex_buffer_unref (CoglHandle handle);
 CoglHandle
 cogl_vertex_buffer_indices_get_for_quads (guint n_indices);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_is_vertex_buffer:
+ * @handle: a #CoglHandle for a vertex buffer object
+ *
+ * Checks whether @handle is a Vertex Buffer Object
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if the handle is a VBO, and %FALSE
+ *   otherwise
+ *
+ * Since: 1.0
+ */
+gboolean
+cogl_is_vertex_buffer (CoglHandle);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __COGL_VERTEX_BUFFER_H__ */
diff --git a/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt b/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
index f340cb095..e8c33157c 100644
--- a/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/cogl/cogl-sections.txt
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ cogl_vertex_buffer_submit
 cogl_vertex_buffer_disable
 cogl_vertex_buffer_enable
 cogl_vertex_buffer_draw
+cogl_is_vertex_buffer
 
 <SUBSECTION>
 CoglIndicesType