diff --git a/src/libmsc/msc_a.c b/src/libmsc/msc_a.c
index fad5b77..7ce70c9 100644
--- a/src/libmsc/msc_a.c
+++ b/src/libmsc/msc_a.c
@@ -116,6 +116,18 @@
 		return net->a5_encryption_mask > 0x1;
 }
 
+bool msc_a_require_ciphering(const struct msc_a *msc_a)
+{
+	struct gsm_network *net = msc_a_net(msc_a);
+	bool is_utran = (msc_a->c.ran->type == OSMO_RAT_UTRAN_IU);
+	if (is_utran)
+		return net->uea_encryption_mask
+			&& ((net->uea_encryption_mask & (1 << OSMO_UTRAN_UEA0)) == 0);
+	else
+		return net->a5_encryption_mask
+			&& ((net->a5_encryption_mask & 0x1) == 0);
+}
+
 static void update_counters(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, bool conn_accepted)
 {
 	struct msc_a *msc_a = fi->priv;