diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data_shared.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data_shared.h
index 1380a6cba..b920e3be0 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data_shared.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data_shared.h
@@ -535,10 +535,13 @@ struct gsm_bts_model {
 
 	struct tlv_definition nm_att_tlvdef;
 
+	/* features of a given BTS model set via gsm_bts_model_register() locally */
 	struct bitvec features;
 	uint8_t _features_data[MAX_BTS_FEATURES/8];
 };
 
+/* N. B: always add new features to the end of the list (right before _NUM_BTS_FEAT) to avoid breaking compatibility
+   with BTS compiled against earlier version of this header */
 enum gsm_bts_features {
 	BTS_FEAT_HSCSD,
 	BTS_FEAT_GPRS,
@@ -549,8 +552,11 @@ enum gsm_bts_features {
 	BTS_FEAT_OML_ALERTS,
 	BTS_FEAT_AGCH_PCH_PROP,
 	BTS_FEAT_CBCH,
+	_NUM_BTS_FEAT
 };
 
+extern const struct value_string gsm_bts_features_descs[];
+
 /*
  * This keeps track of the paging status of one BTS. It
  * includes a number of pending requests, a back pointer
@@ -682,6 +688,10 @@ struct gsm_bts {
 	char version[MAX_VERSION_LENGTH];
 	char sub_model[MAX_VERSION_LENGTH];
 
+	/* features of a given BTS set/reported via OML */
+	struct bitvec features;
+	uint8_t _features_data[MAX_BTS_FEATURES/8];
+
 	/* Connected PCU version (if any) */
 	char pcu_version[MAX_VERSION_LENGTH];
 
@@ -911,6 +921,18 @@ static inline char *gsm_lchan_name(const struct gsm_lchan *lchan)
 	return lchan->name;
 }
 
+static inline int gsm_bts_set_feature(struct gsm_bts *bts, enum gsm_bts_features feat)
+{
+	OSMO_ASSERT(_NUM_BTS_FEAT < MAX_BTS_FEATURES);
+	return bitvec_set_bit_pos(&bts->features, feat, 1);
+}
+
+static inline bool gsm_bts_has_feature(const struct gsm_bts *bts, enum gsm_bts_features feat)
+{
+	OSMO_ASSERT(_NUM_BTS_FEAT < MAX_BTS_FEATURES);
+	return bitvec_get_bit_pos(&bts->features, feat);
+}
+
 void gsm_abis_mo_reset(struct gsm_abis_mo *mo);
 
 struct gsm_abis_mo *
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
index 2c7ea0a94..8830ce144 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data.c
@@ -225,11 +225,13 @@ struct gsm_meas_rep *lchan_next_meas_rep(struct gsm_lchan *lchan)
 
 int gsm_btsmodel_set_feature(struct gsm_bts_model *model, enum gsm_bts_features feat)
 {
+	OSMO_ASSERT(_NUM_BTS_FEAT < MAX_BTS_FEATURES);
 	return bitvec_set_bit_pos(&model->features, feat, 1);
 }
 
 bool gsm_btsmodel_has_feature(struct gsm_bts_model *model, enum gsm_bts_features feat)
 {
+	OSMO_ASSERT(_NUM_BTS_FEAT < MAX_BTS_FEATURES);
 	return bitvec_get_bit_pos(&model->features, feat);
 }
 
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data_shared.c b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data_shared.c
index f40436342..7743b6902 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data_shared.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libcommon/gsm_data_shared.c
@@ -106,6 +106,19 @@ const char *btstype2str(enum gsm_bts_type type)
 	return get_value_string(bts_type_names, type);
 }
 
+const struct value_string gsm_bts_features_descs[] = {
+	{ BTS_FEAT_HSCSD,		"HSCSD" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_GPRS,		"GPRS" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_EGPRS,		"EGPRS" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_ECSD,		"ECSD" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_HOPPING,		"Frequency Hopping" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_MULTI_TSC,		"Multi-TSC" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_OML_ALERTS,		"OML Alerts" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_AGCH_PCH_PROP,	"AGCH/PCH proportional allocation" },
+	{ BTS_FEAT_CBCH,		"CBCH" },
+	{ 0, NULL }
+};
+
 const struct value_string gsm_chreq_descs[] = {
 	{ GSM_CHREQ_REASON_EMERG,	"emergency call" },
 	{ GSM_CHREQ_REASON_PAG,		"answer to paging" },
@@ -343,6 +356,8 @@ struct gsm_bts *gsm_bts_alloc(void *ctx)
 	bts->rach_b_thresh = -1;
 	bts->rach_ldavg_slots = -1;
 	bts->paging.free_chans_need = -1;
+	bts->features.data = &bts->_features_data[0];
+	bts->features.data_len = sizeof(bts->_features_data);
 
 	/* si handling */
 	bts->bcch_change_mark = 1;