diff --git a/src/runmodes.c b/src/runmodes.c
index 918a20e020..3f03800752 100644
--- a/src/runmodes.c
+++ b/src/runmodes.c
@@ -162,6 +162,20 @@ char *RunmodeGetActive(void)
     return active_runmode;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Return the running mode
+ *
+ * The returned string must not be freed.
+ *
+ * \return a string containing the current running mode
+ */
+const char *RunModeGetMainMode(void)
+{
+    int mainmode = RunmodeGetCurrent();
+
+    return RunModeTranslateModeToName(mainmode);
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Register all runmodes in the engine.
  */
diff --git a/src/runmodes.h b/src/runmodes.h
index 0e4a9e9859..9687ea0083 100644
--- a/src/runmodes.h
+++ b/src/runmodes.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ enum {
 };
 
 char *RunmodeGetActive(void);
+const char *RunModeGetMainMode(void);
 
 void RunModeListRunmodes(void);
 void RunModeDispatch(int, const char *, DetectEngineCtx *);
diff --git a/src/suricata.c b/src/suricata.c
index 660d278886..c5c0c36faf 100644
--- a/src/suricata.c
+++ b/src/suricata.c
@@ -242,6 +242,11 @@ int RunmodeIsUnittests(void) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+int RunmodeGetCurrent(void)
+{
+    return run_mode;
+}
+
 static void SignalHandlerSigint(/*@unused@*/ int sig) {
     sigint_count = 1;
     suricata_ctl_flags |= SURICATA_STOP;
diff --git a/src/suricata.h b/src/suricata.h
index a75fb03be3..6b702181c9 100644
--- a/src/suricata.h
+++ b/src/suricata.h
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ void SignalHandlerSigusr2EngineShutdown(int);
 void SignalHandlerSigusr2Idle(int sig);
 
 int RunmodeIsUnittests(void);
+int RunmodeGetCurrent(void);
 
 extern int run_mode;