diff --git a/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology-private.h b/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology-private.h
index 1c475f8473..1a961ba966 100644
--- a/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology-private.h
+++ b/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology-private.h
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ int64_t
 mongoc_topology_server_timestamp (mongoc_topology_t *topology,
                                   uint32_t           id);
 
+mongoc_topology_description_type_t
+_mongoc_topology_description_get_type (mongoc_topology_t *topology);
+
 bool
 _mongoc_topology_start_background_scanner (mongoc_topology_t *topology);
 
diff --git a/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology.c b/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology.c
index 0c8a8db298..8d09d4e686 100644
--- a/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology.c
+++ b/src/mongoc/mongoc-topology.c
@@ -773,6 +773,34 @@ mongoc_topology_server_timestamp (mongoc_topology_t *topology,
    return timestamp;
 }
 
+/*
+ *--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *
+ * _mongoc_topology_description_get_type --
+ *
+ *      Return the topology's description's type.
+ *
+ *      NOTE: this method uses @topology's mutex.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *      The topology description type.
+ *
+ *--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+mongoc_topology_description_type_t
+_mongoc_topology_description_get_type (mongoc_topology_t *topology)
+{
+   mongoc_topology_description_type_t td_type;
+
+   mongoc_mutex_lock (&topology->mutex);
+
+   td_type = topology->description.type;
+
+   mongoc_mutex_unlock (&topology->mutex);
+
+   return td_type;
+}
+
 /*
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  *