diff --git a/server/auth.go b/server/auth.go
index 413d8da0..d8a6fdd1 100644
--- a/server/auth.go
+++ b/server/auth.go
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ type ClientAuthentication interface {
 	RegisterUser(*User)
 	// RemoteAddress expose the connection information of the client
 	RemoteAddress() net.Addr
+	// Kind indicates what type of connection this is matching defined constants like CLIENT, ROUTER, GATEWAY, LEAF etc
+	Kind() int
 }
 
 // NkeyUser is for multiple nkey based users
diff --git a/server/client.go b/server/client.go
index 9fa75efa..83435241 100644
--- a/server/client.go
+++ b/server/client.go
@@ -643,6 +643,15 @@ func (c *client) reportErrRegisterAccount(acc *Account, err error) {
 	c.sendErr("Failed Account Registration")
 }
 
+// Kind returns the client kind and will be one of the defined constants like CLIENT, ROUTER, GATEWAY, LEAF
+func (c *client) Kind() int {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	kind := c.kind
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	return kind
+}
+
 // registerWithAccount will register the given user with a specific
 // account. This will change the subject namespace.
 func (c *client) registerWithAccount(acc *Account) error {