diff --git a/Shorewall/lib.base b/Shorewall/lib.base
index 43e0af5bf..837b52f94 100644
--- a/Shorewall/lib.base
+++ b/Shorewall/lib.base
@@ -598,6 +598,40 @@ chain_exists() # $1 = chain name
     qt $IPTABLES -L $1 -n
 }
 
+#
+# Find interface address--returns the first IP address assigned to the passed
+# device
+#
+find_first_interface_address() # $1 = interface
+{
+    #
+    # get the line of output containing the first IP address
+    #
+    addr=$(ip -f inet addr show $1 2> /dev/null | grep 'inet .* global' | head -n1)
+    #
+    # If there wasn't one, bail out now
+    #
+    [ -n "$addr" ] || fatal_error "Can't determine the IP address of $1"
+    #
+    # Strip off the trailing VLSM mask (or the peer IP in case of a P-t-P link)
+    # along with everything else on the line
+    #
+    echo $addr | sed 's/\s*inet //;s/\/.*//;s/ peer.*//'
+}
+
+find_first_interface_address_if_any() # $1 = interface
+{
+    #
+    # get the line of output containing the first IP address
+    #
+    addr=$(ip -f inet addr show $1 2> /dev/null | grep 'inet .* global' | head -n1)
+    #
+    # Strip off the trailing VLSM mask (or the peer IP in case of a P-t-P link)
+    # along with everything else on the line
+    #
+    [ -n "$addr" ] && echo $addr | sed 's/\s*inet //;s/\/.*//;s/ peer.*//' || echo 0.0.0.0
+}
+
 #
 # Internal version of 'which'
 #