diff --git a/src/core/model/config.cc b/src/core/model/config.cc
--- a/src/core/model/config.cc
+++ b/src/core/model/config.cc
@@ -776,6 +776,32 @@
   return Singleton<ConfigImpl>::Get ()->GetRootNamespaceObject (i);
 }
 
+std::string GetDefault (const std::string attributePath)
+{
+  NS_LOG_FUNCTION (attributePath);
+  // Attribute name is last token
+  size_t colon = attributePath.rfind ("::");
+  const std::string typeName = attributePath.substr (0, colon);
+  NS_LOG_DEBUG ("typeName: '" << typeName << "', colon: " << colon);
+  
+  TypeId tid;
+  if (!TypeId::LookupByNameFailSafe (typeName, &tid))
+    {
+      NS_FATAL_ERROR ("Unknown type=" << typeName);
+    }
+
+  const std::string attrName = attributePath.substr (colon + 2);
+  struct TypeId::AttributeInformation info;  
+  if (!tid.LookupAttributeByName (attrName, &info))
+    {
+      NS_FATAL_ERROR ("Attribute not found: " << attributePath);
+    }
+
+  std::string defValue = info.initialValue->SerializeToString (info.checker);
+
+  return defValue;
+}
+
 } // namespace Config
 
 } // namespace ns3
diff --git a/src/core/model/config.h b/src/core/model/config.h
--- a/src/core/model/config.h
+++ b/src/core/model/config.h
@@ -247,6 +247,18 @@
  */
 Ptr<Object> GetRootNamespaceObject (uint32_t i);
 
+/**
+ * Get the current default value for an attribute.
+ *
+ * The current default is the initial value which would be
+ * used by new instances of the type, including any
+ * CommandLine configuration.
+ *
+ * \param attributePath The configuration path for the attribute.
+ * \returns The default value, serialized to a string.
+ */
+  std::string GetDefault (const std::string attributePath);
+  
 } // namespace Config
 
 } // namespace ns3