diff --git a/cmds/dumpsys/tests/dumpsys_test.cpp b/cmds/dumpsys/tests/dumpsys_test.cpp
index cf4e0b5..b9395ba 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpsys/tests/dumpsys_test.cpp
+++ b/cmds/dumpsys/tests/dumpsys_test.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
     MOCK_METHOD4(addService, status_t(const String16&, const sp<IBinder>&, bool, int));
     MOCK_METHOD1(listServices, Vector<String16>(int));
     MOCK_METHOD1(waitForService, sp<IBinder>(const String16&));
+    MOCK_METHOD1(isDeclared, bool(const String16&));
   protected:
     MOCK_METHOD0(onAsBinder, IBinder*());
 };
diff --git a/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.cpp b/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.cpp
index 934646d..91e89ae 100644
--- a/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.cpp
+++ b/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@
 namespace android {
 
 #ifndef VENDORSERVICEMANAGER
-static bool meetsDeclarationRequirements(const sp<IBinder>& binder, const std::string& name) {
-    if (!Stability::requiresVintfDeclaration(binder)) {
-        return true;
-    }
-
+static bool isVintfDeclared(const std::string& name) {
     size_t firstSlash = name.find('/');
     size_t lastDot = name.rfind('.', firstSlash);
     if (firstSlash == std::string::npos || lastDot == std::string::npos) {
@@ -62,6 +58,14 @@
                << " in the VINTF manifest.";
     return false;
 }
+
+static bool meetsDeclarationRequirements(const sp<IBinder>& binder, const std::string& name) {
+    if (!Stability::requiresVintfDeclaration(binder)) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return isVintfDeclared(name);
+}
 #endif  // !VENDORSERVICEMANAGER
 
 ServiceManager::ServiceManager(std::unique_ptr<Access>&& access) : mAccess(std::move(access)) {}
@@ -270,6 +274,21 @@
     return Status::ok();
 }
 
+Status ServiceManager::isDeclared(const std::string& name, bool* outReturn) {
+    auto ctx = mAccess->getCallingContext();
+
+    if (!mAccess->canFind(ctx, name)) {
+        return Status::fromExceptionCode(Status::EX_SECURITY);
+    }
+
+    *outReturn = false;
+
+#ifndef VENDORSERVICEMANAGER
+    *outReturn = isVintfDeclared(name);
+#endif
+    return Status::ok();
+}
+
 void ServiceManager::removeCallback(const wp<IBinder>& who,
                                     CallbackMap::iterator* it,
                                     bool* found) {
diff --git a/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.h b/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.h
index 006e519..7dcdaa4 100644
--- a/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.h
+++ b/cmds/servicemanager/ServiceManager.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
                                             const sp<IServiceCallback>& callback) override;
     binder::Status unregisterForNotifications(const std::string& name,
                                               const sp<IServiceCallback>& callback) override;
+    binder::Status isDeclared(const std::string& name, bool* outReturn) override;
 
     void binderDied(const wp<IBinder>& who) override;
 
diff --git a/libs/binder/IServiceManager.cpp b/libs/binder/IServiceManager.cpp
index a30df14..4f47db1 100644
--- a/libs/binder/IServiceManager.cpp
+++ b/libs/binder/IServiceManager.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
                         bool allowIsolated, int dumpsysPriority) override;
     Vector<String16> listServices(int dumpsysPriority) override;
     sp<IBinder> waitForService(const String16& name16) override;
+    bool isDeclared(const String16& name) override;
 
     // for legacy ABI
     const String16& getInterfaceDescriptor() const override {
@@ -321,4 +322,12 @@
     }
 }
 
+bool ServiceManagerShim::isDeclared(const String16& name) {
+    bool declared;
+    if (!mTheRealServiceManager->isDeclared(String8(name).c_str(), &declared).isOk()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return declared;
+}
+
 } // namespace android
diff --git a/libs/binder/aidl/android/os/IServiceManager.aidl b/libs/binder/aidl/android/os/IServiceManager.aidl
index 471b63f..8c7ebba 100644
--- a/libs/binder/aidl/android/os/IServiceManager.aidl
+++ b/libs/binder/aidl/android/os/IServiceManager.aidl
@@ -89,4 +89,11 @@
      * Unregisters all requests for notifications for a specific callback.
      */
     void unregisterForNotifications(@utf8InCpp String name, IServiceCallback callback);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether a given interface is declared on the device, even if it
+     * is not started yet. For instance, this could be a service declared in the VINTF
+     * manifest.
+     */
+    boolean isDeclared(@utf8InCpp String name);
 }
diff --git a/libs/binder/include/binder/IServiceManager.h b/libs/binder/include/binder/IServiceManager.h
index a675513..4a44c5a 100644
--- a/libs/binder/include/binder/IServiceManager.h
+++ b/libs/binder/include/binder/IServiceManager.h
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@
      * Returns nullptr only for permission problem or fatal error.
      */
     virtual sp<IBinder> waitForService(const String16& name) = 0;
+
+    /**
+     * Check if a service is declared (e.g. VINTF manifest).
+     *
+     * If this returns true, waitForService should always be able to return the
+     * service.
+     */
+    virtual bool isDeclared(const String16& name) = 0;
 };
 
 sp<IServiceManager> defaultServiceManager();
@@ -99,6 +107,13 @@
 }
 
 template<typename INTERFACE>
+sp<INTERFACE> waitForDeclaredService(const String16& name) {
+    const sp<IServiceManager> sm = defaultServiceManager();
+    if (!sm->isDeclared(name)) return nullptr;
+    return interface_cast<INTERFACE>(sm->waitForService(name));
+}
+
+template<typename INTERFACE>
 status_t getService(const String16& name, sp<INTERFACE>* outService)
 {
     const sp<IServiceManager> sm = defaultServiceManager();
diff --git a/libs/binder/tests/binderStabilityTest.cpp b/libs/binder/tests/binderStabilityTest.cpp
index 0bee56c..1f2779a 100644
--- a/libs/binder/tests/binderStabilityTest.cpp
+++ b/libs/binder/tests/binderStabilityTest.cpp
@@ -134,18 +134,15 @@
 TEST(BinderStability, VintfStabilityServerMustBeDeclaredInManifest) {
     sp<IBinder> vintfServer = BadStableBinder::vintf();
 
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("."), vintfServer));
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("/"), vintfServer));
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("/."), vintfServer));
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("a.d.IFoo"), vintfServer));
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("foo"), vintfServer));
-    EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
-        android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("a.d.IFoo/foo"), vintfServer));
+    for (const char* instance8 : {
+        ".", "/", "/.", "a.d.IFoo", "foo", "a.d.IFoo/foo"
+    }) {
+        String16 instance (instance8);
+
+        EXPECT_EQ(Status::EX_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT,
+            android::defaultServiceManager()->addService(String16("."), vintfServer)) << instance8;
+        EXPECT_FALSE(android::defaultServiceManager()->isDeclared(instance)) << instance8;
+    }
 }
 
 TEST(BinderStability, CantCallVendorBinderInSystemContext) {