diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/rules/cpp/CcCompilationContext.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/rules/cpp/CcCompilationContext.java
index db411a4160ff7f..242ed29f1e4bc0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/rules/cpp/CcCompilationContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/rules/cpp/CcCompilationContext.java
@@ -228,6 +228,17 @@ public Depset getStarlarkIncludeDirs() {
                 .collect(ImmutableList.toImmutableList())));
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public Depset getStarlarkExternalIncludeDirs() {
+    return Depset.of(
+        String.class,
+        NestedSetBuilder.wrap(
+            Order.STABLE_ORDER,
+            getExternalIncludeDirs().stream()
+                .map(PathFragment::getSafePathString)
+                .collect(ImmutableList.toImmutableList())));
+  }
+
   @Override
   public Depset getStarlarkQuoteIncludeDirs() {
     return Depset.of(
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/starlarkbuildapi/cpp/CcCompilationContextApi.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/starlarkbuildapi/cpp/CcCompilationContextApi.java
index 93a866e216c37b..aeb12368c5fb4c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/starlarkbuildapi/cpp/CcCompilationContextApi.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/starlarkbuildapi/cpp/CcCompilationContextApi.java
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ public interface CcCompilationContextApi<FileT extends FileApi> extends Starlark
       structField = true)
   Depset getStarlarkIncludeDirs();
 
+  @StarlarkMethod(
+      name = "external_includes",
+      doc =
+          "Returns the set of search paths (as strings) for external header files referenced by"
+              + " angle bracket. Usually passed with -isystem.",
+      structField = true)
+  Depset getStarlarkExternalIncludeDirs();
+
   @StarlarkMethod(
       name = "quote_includes",
       doc =