diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index 8a0cdabccc7d..fa1c17529018 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -1383,6 +1383,12 @@ void *thermal_zone_device_priv(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(thermal_zone_device_priv);
 
+const char *thermal_zone_device_type(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd)
+{
+	return tzd->type;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(thermal_zone_device_type);
+
 /**
  * thermal_zone_device_unregister - removes the registered thermal zone device
  * @tz: the thermal zone device to remove
diff --git a/include/linux/thermal.h b/include/linux/thermal.h
index 7dbb5712434c..21686e676b3d 100644
--- a/include/linux/thermal.h
+++ b/include/linux/thermal.h
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ thermal_zone_device_register_with_trips(const char *, struct thermal_trip *, int
 					struct thermal_zone_params *, int, int);
 
 void *thermal_zone_device_priv(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd);
+const char *thermal_zone_device_type(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd);
 
 int thermal_zone_bind_cooling_device(struct thermal_zone_device *, int,
 				     struct thermal_cooling_device *,
@@ -443,6 +444,11 @@ static inline void *thermal_zone_device_priv(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static inline const char *thermal_zone_device_type(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static inline int thermal_zone_device_enable(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 { return -ENODEV; }