diff --git a/include/netlink-private/route/tc-api.h b/include/netlink-private/route/tc-api.h
index ce62080..fbfa2ab 100644
--- a/include/netlink-private/route/tc-api.h
+++ b/include/netlink-private/route/tc-api.h
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ extern int			rtnl_tc_compare(struct nl_object *,
 						struct nl_object *,
 						uint32_t, int);
 
+void *                          rtnl_tc_data_peek(struct rtnl_tc *tc);
 extern void *			rtnl_tc_data(struct rtnl_tc *);
 extern void *			rtnl_tc_data_check(struct rtnl_tc *,
 						   struct rtnl_tc_ops *, int *);
diff --git a/lib/route/tc.c b/lib/route/tc.c
index b24c06e..579405e 100644
--- a/lib/route/tc.c
+++ b/lib/route/tc.c
@@ -1025,6 +1025,19 @@ void rtnl_tc_unregister(struct rtnl_tc_ops *ops)
 	nl_list_del(&ops->to_list);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the private data of the traffic control object.
+ * Contrary to rtnl_tc_data(), this returns NULL if the data is
+ * not yet allocated
+ * @arg tc		traffic control object
+ *
+ * @return pointer to the private data or NULL if not allocated.
+ */
+void *rtnl_tc_data_peek(struct rtnl_tc *tc)
+{
+	return tc->tc_subdata ? nl_data_get(tc->tc_subdata) : NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * Return pointer to private data of traffic control object
  * @arg tc		traffic control object