diff --git a/include/libnftables/rule.h b/include/libnftables/rule.h
index a944c00..310262a 100644
--- a/include/libnftables/rule.h
+++ b/include/libnftables/rule.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ void *nft_rule_attr_get(struct nft_rule *r, uint16_t attr);
 const char *nft_rule_attr_get_str(struct nft_rule *r, uint16_t attr);
 uint64_t nft_rule_attr_get_u64(struct nft_rule *r, uint16_t attr);
 
+uint8_t nft_rule_get_family(struct nft_rule *r);
+
 void nft_rule_add_expr(struct nft_rule *r, struct nft_rule_expr *expr);
 
 void nft_rule_nlmsg_build_payload(struct nlmsghdr *nlh, struct nft_rule *t);
diff --git a/src/libnftables.map b/src/libnftables.map
index a62f200..3dad5fa 100644
--- a/src/libnftables.map
+++ b/src/libnftables.map
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ global:
   nft_rule_attr_get;
   nft_rule_attr_get_u64;
   nft_rule_attr_get_str;
+  nft_rule_get_family;
   nft_rule_snprintf;
   nft_rule_nlmsg_build_hdr;
   nft_rule_nlmsg_build_payload;
diff --git a/src/rule.c b/src/rule.c
index dd05412..0bbeeb2 100644
--- a/src/rule.c
+++ b/src/rule.c
@@ -140,6 +140,12 @@ uint64_t nft_rule_attr_get_u64(struct nft_rule *r, uint16_t attr)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(nft_rule_attr_get_u64);
 
+uint8_t nft_rule_get_family(struct nft_rule *r)
+{
+	return r->family;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(nft_rule_get_family);
+
 struct nlmsghdr *
 nft_rule_nlmsg_build_hdr(char *buf, uint16_t cmd, uint16_t family,
 			  uint16_t type, uint32_t seq)