diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 84f592b..c840f7e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 module github.com/miekg/pcap
 
 go 1.14
+
+require golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220617184016-355a448f1bc9
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..238c062
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220617184016-355a448f1bc9 h1:Yqz/iviulwKwAREEeUd3nbBFn0XuyJqkoft2IlrvOhc=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220617184016-355a448f1bc9/go.mod h1:XRhObCWvk6IyKnWLug+ECip1KBveYUHfp+8e9klMJ9c=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210615035016-665e8c7367d1/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220520151302-bc2c85ada10a h1:dGzPydgVsqGcTRVwiLJ1jVbufYwmzD3LfVPLKsKg+0k=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220520151302-bc2c85ada10a/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
+golang.org/x/text v0.3.7/go.mod h1:u+2+/6zg+i71rQMx5EYifcz6MCKuco9NR6JIITiCfzQ=
+golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20180917221912-90fa682c2a6e/go.mod h1:n7NCudcB/nEzxVGmLbDWY5pfWTLqBcC2KZ6jyYvM4mQ=
diff --git a/pcap.go b/pcap.go
index fe53a22..651a572 100644
--- a/pcap.go
+++ b/pcap.go
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 	"unsafe"
+
+	"golang.org/x/net/bpf"
 )
 
 type Pcap struct {
@@ -173,6 +175,25 @@ func OpenOffline(file string) (handle *Pcap, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
+// Creates a fake Pcap that is not bound to any interface. This is useful for
+// compiling filter expressions.
+func OpenDead(linktype int32, snaplen int32) (handle *Pcap, err error) {
+	var buf *C.char
+	buf = (*C.char)(C.calloc(ERRBUF_SIZE, 1))
+	h := new(Pcap)
+
+	h.cptr = C.pcap_open_dead(C.int(linktype), C.int(snaplen))
+	if h.cptr == nil {
+		handle = nil
+		err = &pcapError{C.GoString(buf)}
+	} else {
+		handle = h
+	}
+
+	C.free(unsafe.Pointer(buf))
+	return
+}
+
 // Pcap closes a handler.
 func (p *Pcap) Close() {
 	C.pcap_close(p.cptr)
@@ -234,6 +255,37 @@ func (p *Pcap) SetFilter(expr string) (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Compile a pcap-filter(7) expression to BPF instructions.
+//
+// For filters that are not intended for a particular interface of the host,
+// OpenDead can be used to create a fake Pcap to compile the expression.
+func (p *Pcap) Compile(expr string) (insns []bpf.Instruction, err error) {
+	var bpf_prog C.struct_bpf_program
+	cexpr := C.CString(expr)
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cexpr))
+
+	if C.pcap_compile(p.cptr, &bpf_prog, cexpr, 1, 0) == -1 {
+		return nil, p.Geterror()
+	}
+
+	r_insns := make([]bpf.RawInstruction, bpf_prog.bf_len)
+	bf_len := int(bpf_prog.bf_len)
+	bf_insns := unsafe.Pointer(bpf_prog.bf_insns)
+	bf_size := unsafe.Sizeof(*bpf_prog.bf_insns)
+	for i := 0; i < bf_len; i++ {
+		bf_insn := (*C.struct_bpf_insn)(unsafe.Pointer(uintptr(bf_insns) + uintptr(i)*bf_size))
+		r_insns[i] = bpf.RawInstruction{
+			Op: uint16(bf_insn.code),
+			Jt: uint8(bf_insn.jt),
+			Jf: uint8(bf_insn.jf),
+			K:  uint32(bf_insn.k),
+		}
+	}
+	C.pcap_freecode(&bpf_prog)
+	insns, _ = bpf.Disassemble(r_insns)
+	return
+}
+
 func (p *Pcap) SetDirection(direction string) (err error) {
 	var pcap_direction C.pcap_direction_t
 	if direction == "in" {
diff --git a/pcap_test.go b/pcap_test.go
index 16abb76..0348117 100644
--- a/pcap_test.go
+++ b/pcap_test.go
@@ -60,6 +60,27 @@ func TestPcapOpenLive(t *testing.T) {
 	testPcapHandle(t, pcapOpenLive)
 }
 
+func TestPcapFilterCompile(t *testing.T) {
+	h, err := OpenDead(LINKTYPE_ETHERNET, 65535)
+	if h == nil || err != nil {
+		if h != nil {
+			h.Close()
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create/init pcap handle err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	filter := "udp port 53"
+	insns, err := h.Compile(filter)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Failed to compile filter expression: %s", err)
+	}
+	if len(insns) == 0 {
+		t.Error("Compiled filter has no instructions")
+	}
+
+	h.Close()
+}
+
 func TestPcapDump(t *testing.T) {
 	port := 54321
 	h, err := pcapOpenLive("lo", fmt.Sprintf("udp dst port %d", port), 2000)