diff --git a/runtime/class_loader_utils.h b/runtime/class_loader_utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d160a51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/class_loader_utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2017 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#ifndef ART_RUNTIME_CLASS_LOADER_UTILS_H_
+#define ART_RUNTIME_CLASS_LOADER_UTILS_H_
+
+#include "handle_scope.h"
+#include "mirror/class_loader.h"
+#include "scoped_thread_state_change-inl.h"
+#include "well_known_classes.h"
+
+namespace art {
+
+// Returns true if the given class loader is either a PathClassLoader or a DexClassLoader.
+// (they both have the same behaviour with respect to class lockup order)
+static bool IsPathOrDexClassLoader(ScopedObjectAccessAlreadyRunnable& soa,
+                                   Handle<mirror::ClassLoader> class_loader)
+    REQUIRES_SHARED(Locks::mutator_lock_) {
+  mirror::Class* class_loader_class = class_loader->GetClass();
+  return
+      (class_loader_class ==
+          soa.Decode<mirror::Class>(WellKnownClasses::dalvik_system_PathClassLoader)) ||
+      (class_loader_class ==
+          soa.Decode<mirror::Class>(WellKnownClasses::dalvik_system_DexClassLoader));
+}
+
+static bool IsDelegateLastClassLoader(ScopedObjectAccessAlreadyRunnable& soa,
+                                      Handle<mirror::ClassLoader> class_loader)
+    REQUIRES_SHARED(Locks::mutator_lock_) {
+  mirror::Class* class_loader_class = class_loader->GetClass();
+  return class_loader_class ==
+      soa.Decode<mirror::Class>(WellKnownClasses::dalvik_system_DelegateLastClassLoader);
+}
+
+}  // namespace art
+
+#endif  // ART_RUNTIME_CLASS_LOADER_UTILS_H_