diff --git a/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.c b/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.c
index 920912e4d06..26a675937c1 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.c
@@ -197,6 +197,21 @@ ofw_bus_is_compatible_strict(device_t dev, const char *compatible)
 	return (0);
 }
 
+const struct ofw_compat_data *
+ofw_bus_search_compatible(device_t dev, const struct ofw_compat_data *compat)
+{
+
+	if (compat == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	for (; compat->ocd_str != NULL; ++compat) {
+		if (ofw_bus_is_compatible(dev, compat->ocd_str))
+			break;
+	}
+
+	return (compat);
+}
+
 int
 ofw_bus_has_prop(device_t dev, const char *propname)
 {
diff --git a/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.h b/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.h
index b777f778164..184ab07b241 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.h
+++ b/sys/dev/ofw/ofw_bus_subr.h
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ struct ofw_bus_iinfo {
 	pcell_t			opi_addrc;
 };
 
+struct ofw_compat_data {
+	const char	*ocd_str;
+	uintptr_t	 ocd_data;
+};
+
 /* Generic implementation of ofw_bus_if.m methods and helper routines */
 int	ofw_bus_gen_setup_devinfo(struct ofw_bus_devinfo *, phandle_t);
 void	ofw_bus_gen_destroy_devinfo(struct ofw_bus_devinfo *);
@@ -74,6 +79,16 @@ void	ofw_bus_find_iparent(phandle_t);
 int ofw_bus_is_compatible(device_t, const char *);
 int ofw_bus_is_compatible_strict(device_t, const char *);
 
+/* 
+ * Helper routine to search a list of compat properties.  The table is
+ * terminated by an entry with a NULL compat-string pointer; a pointer to that
+ * table entry is returned if none of the compat strings match for the device,
+ * giving you control over the not-found value.  Will not return NULL unless the
+ * provided table pointer is NULL.
+ */
+const struct ofw_compat_data *
+    ofw_bus_search_compatible(device_t, const struct ofw_compat_data *);
+
 /* Helper routine for checking existence of a prop */
 int ofw_bus_has_prop(device_t, const char *);