diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/Makefile.am b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/Makefile.am
index a31ef362e8..c792ce29c2 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/Makefile.am
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ libgstallocators_@GST_API_VERSION@_includedir = $(includedir)/gstreamer-@GST_API
 libgstallocators_@GST_API_VERSION@_include_HEADERS = \
 	allocators.h \
 	gstfdmemory.h \
+	gstphysmemory.h \
 	gstdmabuf.h
 
 noinst_HEADERS =
 
 libgstallocators_@GST_API_VERSION@_la_SOURCES = \
 	gstfdmemory.c \
+	gstphysmemory.c \
 	gstdmabuf.c 
 
 libgstallocators_@GST_API_VERSION@_la_LIBADD = $(GST_LIBS) $(LIBM)
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/allocators.h b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/allocators.h
index 14a4ac83ac..26c60f8cba 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/allocators.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/allocators.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <gst/allocators/gstdmabuf.h>
 #include <gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.h>
+#include <gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.h>
 
 #endif /* __GST_ALLOCATORS_H__ */
 
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.c b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e1a898cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.c
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/* GStreamer
+ * Copyright (C) 2017 Sebastian Dröge <sebastian@centricular.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif
+
+#include "gstphysmemory.h"
+
+G_DEFINE_INTERFACE (GstPhysMemoryAllocator, gst_phys_memory_allocator,
+    GST_TYPE_ALLOCATOR);
+
+static void
+gst_phys_memory_allocator_default_init (GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface * iface)
+{
+}
+
+/**
+ * gst_is_phys_memory:
+ * @mem: a #GstMemory
+ *
+ * Returns: whether the memory at @mem is backed by physical memory
+ *
+ * Since: 1.14
+ */
+gboolean
+gst_is_phys_memory (GstMemory * mem)
+{
+  return mem != NULL && mem->allocator != NULL
+      && g_type_is_a (G_OBJECT_TYPE (mem->allocator),
+      GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR);
+}
+
+/**
+ * gst_phys_memory_get_phys_addr:
+ * @mem: a #GstMemory
+ *
+ * Returns: Physical memory address that is backing @mem, or 0 if none
+ *
+ * Since: 1.14
+ */
+guintptr
+gst_phys_memory_get_phys_addr (GstMemory * mem)
+{
+  GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface *iface;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_is_phys_memory (mem), 0);
+
+  iface = GST_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR_GET_INTERFACE (mem->allocator);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (iface->get_phys_addr != NULL, 0);
+
+  return iface->get_phys_addr ((GstPhysMemoryAllocator *) mem->allocator, mem);
+}
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.h b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7c70d6871a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstphysmemory.h
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/* GStreamer
+ * Copyright (C) 2017 Sebastian Dröge <sebastian@centricular.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Library General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __GST_PHYS_MEMORY_H__
+#define __GST_PHYS_MEMORY_H__
+
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+typedef struct _GstPhysMemoryAllocator GstPhysMemoryAllocator;
+typedef struct _GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface;
+
+#define GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR                  (gst_phys_memory_allocator_get_type())
+#define GST_IS_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR(obj)               (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((obj), GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR))
+#define GST_IS_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR_INTERFACE(iface)   (G_TYPE_CHECK_INTERFACE_TYPE ((iface), GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR))
+#define GST_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR_GET_INTERFACE(obj)    (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_INTERFACE ((obj), GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR, GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface))
+#define GST_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR(obj)                  (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST ((obj), GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR, GstPhysMemoryAllocator))
+#define GST_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR_INTERFACE(iface)      (G_TYPE_CHECK_INTERFACE_CAST ((iface), GST_TYPE_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR, GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface))
+#define GST_PHYS_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR_CAST(obj)             ((GstPhysMemoryAllocator *)(obj))
+
+/**
+ * GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface:
+ *
+ * Marker interface for allocators with physical address backed memory
+ *
+ * Since: 1.14
+ */
+struct _GstPhysMemoryAllocatorInterface
+{
+  GTypeInterface parent_iface;
+
+  guintptr (*get_phys_addr) (GstPhysMemoryAllocator * allocator, GstMemory * mem);
+};
+
+GST_EXPORT
+GType gst_phys_memory_allocator_get_type (void);
+
+GST_EXPORT
+gboolean gst_is_phys_memory (GstMemory *mem);
+
+GST_EXPORT
+guintptr gst_phys_memory_get_phys_addr (GstMemory * mem);
+
+G_END_DECLS
+
+#endif /* __GST_PHYS_MEMORY_H__ */