diff --git a/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.c b/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.c
index b8d0df8878d1..65d9be3f9887 100644
--- a/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.c
+++ b/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.c
@@ -184,3 +184,16 @@ int filename__read_int(const char *filename, int *value)
 	close(fd);
 	return err;
 }
+
+int sysctl__read_int(const char *sysctl, int *value)
+{
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	const char *procfs = procfs__mountpoint();
+
+	if (!procfs)
+		return -1;
+
+	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/sys/%s", procfs, sysctl);
+
+	return filename__read_int(path, value);
+}
diff --git a/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.h b/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.h
index 4d0aef6e7163..6caa2bbc6cec 100644
--- a/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.h
+++ b/tools/lib/api/fs/fs.h
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@ const char *sysfs__mountpoint(void);
 const char *procfs__mountpoint(void);
 
 int filename__read_int(const char *filename, int *value);
+int sysctl__read_int(const char *sysctl, int *value);
 #endif /* __API_FS__ */