diff --git a/wgengine/userspace.go b/wgengine/userspace.go
index 8e461c479..4b03c9bb9 100644
--- a/wgengine/userspace.go
+++ b/wgengine/userspace.go
@@ -164,6 +164,20 @@ func NewFakeUserspaceEngine(logf logger.Logf, listenPort uint16) (Engine, error)
 	})
 }
 
+// IsNetstack reports whether e is a netstack-based TUN-free engine.
+func IsNetstack(e Engine) bool {
+	ig, ok := e.(InternalsGetter)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	tw, _, ok := ig.GetInternals()
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	name, err := tw.Name()
+	return err == nil && name == "FakeTUN"
+}
+
 // NewUserspaceEngine creates the named tun device and returns a
 // Tailscale Engine running on it.
 func NewUserspaceEngine(logf logger.Logf, conf Config) (_ Engine, reterr error) {
diff --git a/wgengine/userspace_test.go b/wgengine/userspace_test.go
index ac081d83e..222e183b1 100644
--- a/wgengine/userspace_test.go
+++ b/wgengine/userspace_test.go
@@ -186,3 +186,14 @@ func BenchmarkGenLocalAddrFunc(b *testing.B) {
 	})
 	b.Logf("x = %v", x)
 }
+
+func TestIsNetstack(t *testing.T) {
+	e, err := NewUserspaceEngine(t.Logf, Config{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer e.Close()
+	if !IsNetstack(e) {
+		t.Errorf("IsNetstack = false; want true")
+	}
+}