+ * g_variant_get_data_as_bytes:
+ * @value: a #GVariant
+ *
+ * Returns a pointer to the serialised form of a #GVariant instance.
+ * The semantics of this function are exactly the same as
+ * g_variant_get_data(), except that the returned #GBytes holds
+ * a reference to the variant data.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): A new #GBytes representing the variant data
+ *
+ * Since: 2.36
+ */
+GBytes *
+g_variant_get_data_as_bytes (GVariant *value)
+{
+ const gchar *bytes_data;
+ const gchar *data;
+ gsize bytes_size;
+ gsize size;
+
+ g_variant_lock (value);
+ g_variant_ensure_serialised (value);
+ g_variant_unlock (value);
+
+ bytes_data = g_bytes_get_data (value->contents.serialised.bytes, &bytes_size);
+ data = value->contents.serialised.data;
+ size = value->size;
+
+ if (data == bytes_data && size == bytes_size)
+ return g_bytes_ref (value->contents.serialised.bytes);
+ else
+ return g_bytes_new_from_bytes (value->contents.serialised.bytes,
+ data - bytes_data, size);
+}
+
+
+/**