diff --git a/include/mysql.h b/include/mysql.h
index 62f30127..633cd835 100644
--- a/include/mysql.h
+++ b/include/mysql.h
@@ -444,10 +444,15 @@ int STDCALL mysql_set_server_option(MYSQL *mysql,
                                     enum enum_mysql_set_option option);
 const char * STDCALL mysql_get_client_info(void);
 unsigned long STDCALL mysql_get_client_version(void);
+my_bool STDCALL mariadb_connection(MYSQL *mysql);
+const char * STDCALL mysql_get_server_name(MYSQL *mysql);
 
 #include <my_stmt.h>
   
+/* synonyms, alternate functions */
 #define mysql_reload(mysql) mysql_refresh((mysql),REFRESH_GRANT)
+#define mysql_library_init mysql_server_init
+#define mysql_library_end mysql_server_end
 
 /* new api functions */
 
diff --git a/libmariadb/libmariadb.c b/libmariadb/libmariadb.c
index e44e2c61..026a4d1a 100644
--- a/libmariadb/libmariadb.c
+++ b/libmariadb/libmariadb.c
@@ -3002,3 +3002,15 @@ ulong STDCALL mysql_hex_string(char *to, const char *from,
   *to= 0;
   return (to - start);
 }
+
+my_bool STDCALL mariadb_connection(MYSQL *mysql)
+{
+  return (strstr(mysql->server_version, "MariaDB") ||
+          strstr(mysql->server_version, "-maria-"));
+}
+
+const char * STDCALL
+mysql_get_server_name(MYSQL *mysql)
+{
+  return mariadb_connection(mysql) ? "MariaDB" : "MySQL";
+}
diff --git a/libmariadb/libmariadb_exports.def b/libmariadb/libmariadb_exports.def
index 306a74d2..60506cd5 100644
--- a/libmariadb/libmariadb_exports.def
+++ b/libmariadb/libmariadb_exports.def
@@ -103,5 +103,6 @@ EXPORTS
  mysql_set_character_set
  mysql_get_character_set_info
  mysql_stmt_next_result
-
+ mariadb_connection
+ mysql_get_server_name