diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/utils.py b/qubesadmin/tests/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04833e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf8 -*-
+#
+# The Qubes OS Project, http://www.qubes-os.org
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2017 Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
+#                               <marmarek@invisiblethingslab.com>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+import unittest
+import qubesadmin.tests
+import qubesadmin.utils
+
+
+class TestVMUsage(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestVMUsage, self).setUp()
+
+        self.app.expected_calls[
+            ('dom0', 'admin.vm.List', None, None)] = \
+            b'0\x00vm1 class=AppVM state=Running\n' \
+            b'template1 class=TemplateVM state=Halted\n' \
+            b'template2 class=TemplateVM state=Running\n' \
+            b'vm2 class=AppVM state=Running\n' \
+            b'sys-net class=AppVM state=Running\n' \
+            b'sys-firewall class=AppVM state=Running\n'
+
+        self.global_properties = ['default_dispvm', 'default_netvm',
+                                  'default_template', 'clockvm', 'updatevm']
+
+        for prop in self.global_properties:
+            self.app.expected_calls[
+                ('dom0', 'admin.property.Get', prop, None)] = \
+                    b'0\x00default=True type=vm vm2'
+
+        self.vms = ['vm1', 'vm2', 'sys-net', 'sys-firewall',
+                    'template1', 'template2']
+        self.vm_properties = ['template', 'netvm', 'default_dispvm']
+
+        for vm in self.vms:
+            for prop in self.vm_properties:
+                if not prop.startswith('template') or \
+                        not vm.startswith('template'):
+                    self.app.expected_calls[
+                        (vm, 'admin.vm.property.Get', prop, None)] = \
+                        b'0\x00default=False type=vm template1'
+                else:
+                    self.app.expected_calls[
+                        (vm, 'admin.vm.property.Get', prop, None)] = \
+                        b'2\0QubesNoSuchPropertyError\0\0invalid property\0'
+
+    def test_00_only_global(self):
+        result = qubesadmin.utils.vm_dependencies(self.app, self.app.domains['vm2'])
+
+        self.assertListEqual(result,
+                             [(None, prop) for prop in self.global_properties],
+                             "Incorrect global properties listed.")
+
+    def test_01_only_vm(self):
+        result = qubesadmin.utils.vm_dependencies(
+            self.app, self.app.domains['template1'])
+
+        self.assertSetEqual(
+            set(result),
+            set([(vm, prop) for vm in self.vms for prop in self.vm_properties
+                 if (not vm.startswith('template')
+                 or not prop.startswith('template'))]),
+            "Incorrect VM properties listed.")
+
+    def test_02_empty(self):
+        result = qubesadmin.utils.vm_dependencies(self.app, self.app.domains['vm1'])
+
+        self.assertListEqual(result, [], "Incorrect use found.")
+
+    def test_03_access_error(self):
+        self.app.expected_calls[
+            ('dom0', 'admin.property.Get', 'default_dispvm', None)] = b''
+
+        result = qubesadmin.utils.vm_dependencies(self.app, self.app.domains['vm1'])
+
+        self.assertListEqual(result, [], "Incorrect use found.")
+
+    def test_04_defaults(self):
+        self.app.expected_calls[
+            ('vm2', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'netvm', None)] = \
+            b'0\x00default=True type=vm sys-net'
+
+        self.app.expected_calls[
+            ('vm1', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'netvm', None)] = \
+            b'0\x00default=False type=vm sys-net'
+
+        result = qubesadmin.utils.vm_dependencies(self.app,
+                                                  self.app.domains['sys-net'])
+
+        self.assertListEqual(result, [(self.app.domains['vm1'], 'netvm')])
diff --git a/qubesadmin/utils.py b/qubesadmin/utils.py
index edaac11..ccb3134 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/utils.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/utils.py
@@ -115,3 +115,29 @@ def updates_vms_status(qvm_collection):
             # "mixed"
             return None
     return status
+
+
+def vm_dependencies(app, reference_vm):
+    '''Helper function that returns a list of all the places a given VM is used
+    in. Output is a list of tuples (property_holder, property_name), with None
+    as property_holder for global properties
+    '''
+
+    result = []
+
+    global_properties = ['default_dispvm', 'default_netvm',
+                         'default_template', 'clockvm', 'updatevm']
+
+    for prop in global_properties:
+        if reference_vm == getattr(app, prop, None):
+            result.append((None, prop))
+
+    vm_properties = ['template', 'netvm', 'default_dispvm']
+
+    for vm in app.domains:
+        for prop in vm_properties:
+            if reference_vm == getattr(vm, prop, None) and \
+                    not vm.property_is_default(prop):
+                result.append((vm, prop))
+
+    return result