diff --git a/include/sframe-api.h b/include/sframe-api.h
index 77ba32b0f4b..e5262ae6251 100644
--- a/include/sframe-api.h
+++ b/include/sframe-api.h
@@ -124,6 +124,10 @@ sframe_decoder_get_abi_arch (sframe_decoder_ctx *dctx);
 extern uint8_t
 sframe_decoder_get_version (sframe_decoder_ctx *dctx);
 
+/* Get the section flags from the SFrame decoder context DCTX.  */
+extern uint8_t
+sframe_decoder_get_flags (sframe_decoder_ctx *dctx);
+
 /* Return the number of function descriptor entries in the SFrame decoder
    DCTX.  */
 extern uint32_t
@@ -238,6 +242,10 @@ sframe_encoder_get_abi_arch (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder);
 extern uint8_t
 sframe_encoder_get_version (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder);
 
+/* Get the section flags from the SFrame encoder context ENCODER.  */
+extern uint8_t
+sframe_encoder_get_flags (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder);
+
 /* Return the number of function descriptor entries in the SFrame encoder
    ENCODER.  */
 extern uint32_t
diff --git a/libsframe/libsframe.ver b/libsframe/libsframe.ver
index 57f5fb6c378..7038d694704 100644
--- a/libsframe/libsframe.ver
+++ b/libsframe/libsframe.ver
@@ -38,3 +38,8 @@ LIBSFRAME_1.0 {
   local:
     *;
 } LIBSFRAME_0.0;
+
+LIBSFRAME_1.1 {
+    sframe_decoder_get_flags;
+    sframe_encoder_get_flags;
+} LIBSFRAME_1.0;
diff --git a/libsframe/sframe.c b/libsframe/sframe.c
index 2894009260d..fcc266006c0 100644
--- a/libsframe/sframe.c
+++ b/libsframe/sframe.c
@@ -988,6 +988,15 @@ sframe_decoder_get_version (sframe_decoder_ctx *dctx)
   return dhp->sfh_preamble.sfp_version;
 }
 
+/* Get the section flags from the SFrame decoder context DCTX.  */
+
+uint8_t
+sframe_decoder_get_flags (sframe_decoder_ctx *dctx)
+{
+  const sframe_header *dhp = sframe_decoder_get_header (dctx);
+  return dhp->sfh_preamble.sfp_flags;
+}
+
 /* Get the SFrame's fixed FP offset given the decoder context CTX.  */
 int8_t
 sframe_decoder_get_fixed_fp_offset (sframe_decoder_ctx *ctx)
@@ -1038,7 +1047,7 @@ sframe_get_funcdesc_with_addr_internal (sframe_decoder_ctx *ctx, int32_t addr,
     return sframe_ret_set_errno (errp, SFRAME_ERR_DCTX_INVAL);
   /* If the FDE sub-section is not sorted on PCs, skip the lookup because
      binary search cannot be used.  */
-  if ((dhp->sfh_preamble.sfp_flags & SFRAME_F_FDE_SORTED) == 0)
+  if ((sframe_decoder_get_flags (ctx) & SFRAME_F_FDE_SORTED) == 0)
     return sframe_ret_set_errno (errp, SFRAME_ERR_FDE_NOTSORTED);
 
   /* Do the binary search.  */
@@ -1402,6 +1411,15 @@ sframe_encoder_get_version (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder)
   return ehp->sfh_preamble.sfp_version;
 }
 
+/* Get the section flags from the SFrame encoder context ENCODER.  */
+
+uint8_t
+sframe_encoder_get_flags (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder)
+{
+  const sframe_header *ehp = sframe_encoder_get_header (encoder);
+  return ehp->sfh_preamble.sfp_flags;
+}
+
 /* Return the number of function descriptor entries in the SFrame encoder
    ENCODER.  */
 
@@ -1736,7 +1754,6 @@ sframe_encoder_write_sframe (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder)
   size_t fre_size;
   size_t esz = 0;
   sframe_header *ehp;
-  unsigned char flags;
   sf_fde_tbl *fd_info;
   sf_fre_tbl *fr_info;
   uint32_t i, num_fdes;
@@ -1806,8 +1823,7 @@ sframe_encoder_write_sframe (sframe_encoder_ctx *encoder)
   /* Sanity checks:
      - the FDE section must have been sorted by now on the start address
      of each function.  */
-  flags = ehp->sfh_preamble.sfp_flags;
-  if (!(flags & SFRAME_F_FDE_SORTED)
+  if (!(sframe_encoder_get_flags (encoder) & SFRAME_F_FDE_SORTED)
       || (fd_info == NULL))
     return sframe_set_errno (&err, SFRAME_ERR_FDE_INVAL);