diff --git a/include/qemu/fifo8.h b/include/qemu/fifo8.h
index 16be02f361..c6295c6ff0 100644
--- a/include/qemu/fifo8.h
+++ b/include/qemu/fifo8.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ uint8_t fifo8_pop(Fifo8 *fifo);
  * fifo8_pop_buf:
  * @fifo: FIFO to pop from
  * @max: maximum number of bytes to pop
- * @num: actual number of returned bytes
+ * @numptr: pointer filled with number of bytes returned (can be NULL)
  *
  * Pop a number of elements from the FIFO up to a maximum of max. The buffer
  * containing the popped data is returned. This buffer points directly into
@@ -82,16 +82,43 @@ uint8_t fifo8_pop(Fifo8 *fifo);
  * around in the ring buffer; in this case only a contiguous part of the data
  * is returned.
  *
- * The number of valid bytes returned is populated in *num; will always return
- * at least 1 byte. max must not be 0 or greater than the number of bytes in
- * the FIFO.
+ * The number of valid bytes returned is populated in *numptr; will always
+ * return at least 1 byte. max must not be 0 or greater than the number of
+ * bytes in the FIFO.
  *
  * Clients are responsible for checking the availability of requested data
  * using fifo8_num_used().
  *
  * Returns: A pointer to popped data.
  */
-const uint8_t *fifo8_pop_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *num);
+const uint8_t *fifo8_pop_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *numptr);
+
+/**
+ * fifo8_peek_buf: read upto max bytes from the fifo
+ * @fifo: FIFO to read from
+ * @max: maximum number of bytes to peek
+ * @numptr: pointer filled with number of bytes returned (can be NULL)
+ *
+ * Peek into a number of elements from the FIFO up to a maximum of max.
+ * The buffer containing the data peeked into is returned. This buffer points
+ * directly into the FIFO backing store. Since data is invalidated once any
+ * of the fifo8_* APIs are called on the FIFO, it is the caller responsibility
+ * to access it before doing further API calls.
+ *
+ * The function may return fewer bytes than requested when the data wraps
+ * around in the ring buffer; in this case only a contiguous part of the data
+ * is returned.
+ *
+ * The number of valid bytes returned is populated in *numptr; will always
+ * return at least 1 byte. max must not be 0 or greater than the number of
+ * bytes in the FIFO.
+ *
+ * Clients are responsible for checking the availability of requested data
+ * using fifo8_num_used().
+ *
+ * Returns: A pointer to peekable data.
+ */
+const uint8_t *fifo8_peek_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *numptr);
 
 /**
  * fifo8_reset:
diff --git a/util/fifo8.c b/util/fifo8.c
index de8fd0f1c5..4e01b532d9 100644
--- a/util/fifo8.c
+++ b/util/fifo8.c
@@ -66,19 +66,37 @@ uint8_t fifo8_pop(Fifo8 *fifo)
     return ret;
 }
 
-const uint8_t *fifo8_pop_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *num)
+static const uint8_t *fifo8_peekpop_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max,
+                                        uint32_t *numptr, bool do_pop)
 {
     uint8_t *ret;
+    uint32_t num;
 
     assert(max > 0 && max <= fifo->num);
-    *num = MIN(fifo->capacity - fifo->head, max);
+    num = MIN(fifo->capacity - fifo->head, max);
     ret = &fifo->data[fifo->head];
-    fifo->head += *num;
-    fifo->head %= fifo->capacity;
-    fifo->num -= *num;
+
+    if (do_pop) {
+        fifo->head += num;
+        fifo->head %= fifo->capacity;
+        fifo->num -= num;
+    }
+    if (numptr) {
+        *numptr = num;
+    }
     return ret;
 }
 
+const uint8_t *fifo8_peek_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *numptr)
+{
+    return fifo8_peekpop_buf(fifo, max, numptr, false);
+}
+
+const uint8_t *fifo8_pop_buf(Fifo8 *fifo, uint32_t max, uint32_t *numptr)
+{
+    return fifo8_peekpop_buf(fifo, max, numptr, true);
+}
+
 void fifo8_reset(Fifo8 *fifo)
 {
     fifo->num = 0;