diff --git a/lib/xdg-app-installation.c b/lib/xdg-app-installation.c
index f6453ac1..45666772 100644
--- a/lib/xdg-app-installation.c
+++ b/lib/xdg-app-installation.c
@@ -142,6 +142,19 @@ xdg_app_installation_new_for_dir (XdgAppDir *dir,
   return self;
 }
 
+/**
+ * xdg_app_get_default_arch:
+ *
+ * Returns the canonical name for the arch of the current machine.
+ *
+ * Returns: an arch string
+ */
+const char  *
+xdg_app_get_default_arch (void)
+{
+  return xdg_app_get_arch ();
+}
+
 /**
  * xdg_app_installation_new_system:
  * @cancellable: (nullable): a #GCancellable
diff --git a/lib/xdg-app-installation.h b/lib/xdg-app-installation.h
index 025e018e..8a1595f8 100644
--- a/lib/xdg-app-installation.h
+++ b/lib/xdg-app-installation.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ typedef enum {
 G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(XdgAppInstallation, g_object_unref)
 #endif
 
+XDG_APP_EXTERN const char  *xdg_app_get_default_arch (void);
+
 XDG_APP_EXTERN XdgAppInstallation *xdg_app_installation_new_system (GCancellable *cancellable,
                                                                     GError **error);
 XDG_APP_EXTERN XdgAppInstallation *xdg_app_installation_new_user (GCancellable *cancellable,