diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/Hibernate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/Hibernate.java
index b961a5c5a3..b885c81680 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/Hibernate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/Hibernate.java
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ public final class Hibernate {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Get the true, underlying class of a proxied persistent class. This operation
-	 * will initialize a proxy by side effect.
+	 * Get the true, underlying class of a proxied entity. This operation will
+	 * initialize a proxy by side effect.
 	 *
 	 * @param proxy an entity instance or proxy
 	 * @return the true class of the instance
@@ -206,6 +206,20 @@ public final class Hibernate {
 		return (Class<? extends T>) result;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Determine if the true, underlying class of the proxied entity is assignable
+	 * to the given class. This operation will initialize a proxy by side effect.
+	 *
+	 * @param proxy an entity instance or proxy
+	 * @return {@code true} if the entity is an instance of the given class
+	 *
+	 * @since 6.2
+	 */
+	public static boolean isInstance(Object proxy, Class<?> entityClass) {
+		return entityClass.isInstance( proxy )
+			|| entityClass.isAssignableFrom( getClass( proxy ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Determines if the property with the given name of the given entity instance is
 	 * initialized. If the named property does not exist or is not persistent, this