diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/subscription_base.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/subscription_base.hpp
index 8f13318..35255da 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/subscription_base.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/subscription_base.hpp
@@ -98,6 +98,20 @@ public:
   const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::QOSEventHandlerBase>> &
   get_event_handlers() const;
 
+  /// Get the actual QoS settings, after the defaults have been determined.
+  /**
+   * The actual configuration applied when using RMW_QOS_POLICY_*_SYSTEM_DEFAULT
+   * can only be resolved after the creation of the publisher, and it
+   * depends on the underlying rmw implementation.
+   * If the underlying setting in use can't be represented in ROS terms,
+   * it will be set to RMW_QOS_POLICY_*_UNKNOWN.
+   * May throw runtime_error when an unexpected error occurs.
+   * \return The actual qos settings.
+   */
+  RCLCPP_PUBLIC
+  rmw_qos_profile_t
+  get_actual_qos() const;
+
   /// Borrow a new message.
   /** \return Shared pointer to the fresh message. */
   virtual std::shared_ptr<void>
diff --git a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/subscription_base.cpp b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/subscription_base.cpp
index 9b02141..5189150 100644
--- a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/subscription_base.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/subscription_base.cpp
@@ -128,6 +128,18 @@ SubscriptionBase::get_event_handlers() const
   return event_handlers_;
 }
 
+rmw_qos_profile_t
+SubscriptionBase::get_actual_qos() const
+{
+  const rmw_qos_profile_t * qos = rcl_subscription_get_actual_qos(subscription_handle_.get());
+  if (!qos) {
+    auto msg = std::string("failed to get qos settings: ") + rcl_get_error_string().str;
+    rcl_reset_error();
+    throw std::runtime_error(msg);
+  }
+  return *qos;
+}
+
 const rosidl_message_type_support_t &
 SubscriptionBase::get_message_type_support_handle() const
 {