diff --git a/docs/generated/changelog.html b/docs/generated/changelog.html
index aee071bf8..c23d4d2c0 100644
--- a/docs/generated/changelog.html
+++ b/docs/generated/changelog.html
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ <h2>Version 0.14.0</h2>
           Adds retry logic to HttpAgent. By default, retries three times before throwing an error,
           to offer a more cohesive workflow
         </li>
+        <li>
+          Adds a top-level <code>fetchCandid()</code> function which retrieves the Candid interface
+          for a given canister id.
+        </li>
       </ul>
       <h2>Version 0.13.4</h2>
       <ul>
diff --git a/packages/agent/src/agent/http/index.ts b/packages/agent/src/agent/http/index.ts
index 839c72c80..399a9a888 100644
--- a/packages/agent/src/agent/http/index.ts
+++ b/packages/agent/src/agent/http/index.ts
@@ -219,6 +219,11 @@ export class HttpAgent implements Agent {
     }
   }
 
+  public isLocal(): boolean {
+    const hostname = this._host.hostname;
+    return hostname === '127.0.0.1' || hostname.endsWith('localhost');
+  }
+
   public addTransform(fn: HttpAgentRequestTransformFn, priority = fn.priority || 0): void {
     // Keep the pipeline sorted at all time, by priority.
     const i = this._pipeline.findIndex(x => (x.priority || 0) < priority);
diff --git a/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.test.ts b/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f6ae1335
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { fetchCandid, HttpAgent } from '.';
+import { IDL } from '@dfinity/candid';
+import * as cbor from './cbor';
+
+test('simulate fetching a Candid interface', async () => {
+  const mockFetch = jest.fn().mockImplementation((/*resource, init*/) => {
+    return Promise.resolve(
+      new Response(
+        cbor.encode({
+          status: 'replied',
+          reply: {
+            arg: IDL.encode([IDL.Text], ['service {}']),
+          },
+        }),
+        {
+          status: 200,
+        },
+      ),
+    );
+  });
+
+  const agent = new HttpAgent({ fetch: mockFetch, host: 'http://localhost' });
+
+  const candid = await fetchCandid('ryjl3-tyaaa-aaaaa-aaaba-cai', agent);
+
+  expect(candid).toMatch(/service/);
+});
diff --git a/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.ts b/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6db5bc36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/agent/src/fetch_candid.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { Actor, ActorSubclass, CanisterStatus, HttpAgent } from '.';
+import { Principal } from '@dfinity/principal';
+import { IDL } from '@dfinity/candid';
+
+/**
+ * Retrieves the Candid interface for the specified canister.
+ *
+ * @param agent The agent to use for the request (usually an `HttpAgent`)
+ * @param canisterId A string corresponding to the canister ID
+ * @returns Candid source code
+ */
+export async function fetchCandid(canisterId: string, agent?: HttpAgent): Promise<string> {
+  if (!agent) {
+    // Create an anonymous `HttpAgent` (adapted from Candid UI)
+    agent = new HttpAgent();
+    if (agent.isLocal()) {
+      agent.fetchRootKey();
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Attempt to use canister metadata
+  const status = await CanisterStatus.request({
+    agent,
+    canisterId: Principal.fromText(canisterId),
+    paths: ['candid'],
+  });
+  const candid = status.get('candid') as string | undefined;
+  if (candid) {
+    return candid;
+  }
+
+  // Use `__get_candid_interface_tmp_hack` for canisters without Candid metadata
+  const tmpHackInterface: IDL.InterfaceFactory = ({ IDL }) =>
+    IDL.Service({
+      __get_candid_interface_tmp_hack: IDL.Func([], [IDL.Text], ['query']),
+    });
+  const actor: ActorSubclass = Actor.createActor(tmpHackInterface, { agent, canisterId });
+  return (await actor.__get_candid_interface_tmp_hack()) as string;
+}
diff --git a/packages/agent/src/index.ts b/packages/agent/src/index.ts
index 35bfa4770..f784eecb0 100644
--- a/packages/agent/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/agent/src/index.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export * from './agent/http/transforms';
 export * from './agent/http/types';
 export * from './canisters/asset';
 export * from './canisters/management';
+export * from './fetch_candid';
 export * from './request_id';
 export * from './utils/bls';
 export * from './utils/buffer';