diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -733,6 +733,14 @@
  [ AC_MSG_RESULT(no)]
 )
 
+dnl Check for malloc_info (for memory statistics information in getmemoryinfo)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for getmemoryinfo)
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <malloc.h>]],
+ [[ int f = malloc_info(0, NULL); ]])],
+ [ AC_MSG_RESULT(yes); AC_DEFINE(HAVE_MALLOC_INFO, 1,[Define this symbol if you have malloc_info]) ],
+ [ AC_MSG_RESULT(no)]
+)
+
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for visibility attribute])
 AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([
   int foo_def( void ) __attribute__((visibility("default")));
diff --git a/doc/release-notes.md b/doc/release-notes.md
--- a/doc/release-notes.md
+++ b/doc/release-notes.md
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@
  - Remove support for Qt4
  - Upgrade reproducible build to us Qt 5.9.6
  - Improve SHA256 performance using SSE4.1, AVX2 and/or SHA if available.
+ - Add a mode argument to the `getmemoryinfo` RPC call to query `malloc_info` from the system if available.
 
diff --git a/src/config/CMakeLists.txt b/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@
 
 # Memory management capabilities
 check_symbol_exists(M_ARENA_MAX "malloc.h" HAVE_MALLOPT_ARENA_MAX)
+check_symbol_exists(malloc_info "malloc.h" HAVE_MALLOC_INFO)
 
 # Various system libraries
 check_symbol_exists(strnlen "string.h" HAVE_DECL_STRNLEN)
diff --git a/src/config/bitcoin-config.h.cmake.in b/src/config/bitcoin-config.h.cmake.in
--- a/src/config/bitcoin-config.h.cmake.in
+++ b/src/config/bitcoin-config.h.cmake.in
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #cmakedefine HAVE_DECL___BUILTIN_CLZLL 1
 
 #cmakedefine HAVE_MALLOPT_ARENA_MAX 1
+#cmakedefine HAVE_MALLOC_INFO 1
 
 #cmakedefine HAVE_DECL_STRNLEN 1
 #cmakedefine HAVE_DECL_DAEMON 1
diff --git a/src/rpc/misc.cpp b/src/rpc/misc.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/misc.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/misc.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 #include <univalue.h>
 
 #include <cstdint>
+#ifdef HAVE_MALLOC_INFO
+#include <malloc.h>
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @note Do not add or change anything in the information returned by this
@@ -578,16 +581,41 @@
     return obj;
 }
 
+#ifdef HAVE_MALLOC_INFO
+static std::string RPCMallocInfo() {
+    char *ptr = nullptr;
+    size_t size = 0;
+    FILE *f = open_memstream(&ptr, &size);
+    if (f) {
+        malloc_info(0, f);
+        fclose(f);
+        if (ptr) {
+            std::string rv(ptr, size);
+            free(ptr);
+            return rv;
+        }
+    }
+    return "";
+}
+#endif
+
 static UniValue getmemoryinfo(const Config &config,
                               const JSONRPCRequest &request) {
     /* Please, avoid using the word "pool" here in the RPC interface or help,
      * as users will undoubtedly confuse it with the other "memory pool"
      */
-    if (request.fHelp || request.params.size() != 0) {
+    if (request.fHelp || request.params.size() > 1) {
         throw std::runtime_error(
-            "getmemoryinfo\n"
+            "getmemoryinfo (\"mode\")\n"
             "Returns an object containing information about memory usage.\n"
-            "\nResult:\n"
+            "Arguments:\n"
+            "1. \"mode\" determines what kind of information is returned. This "
+            "argument is optional, the default mode is \"stats\".\n"
+            "  - \"stats\" returns general statistics about memory usage in "
+            "the daemon.\n"
+            "  - \"mallocinfo\" returns an XML string describing low-level "
+            "heap state (only available if compiled with glibc 2.10+).\n"
+            "\nResult (mode \"stats\"):\n"
             "{\n"
             "  \"locked\": {               (json object) Information about "
             "locked memory manager\n"
@@ -604,14 +632,31 @@
             "    \"chunks_free\": xxxxx,   (numeric) Number unused chunks\n"
             "  }\n"
             "}\n"
+            "\nResult (mode \"mallocinfo\"):\n"
+            "\"<malloc version=\"1\">...\"\n"
             "\nExamples:\n" +
             HelpExampleCli("getmemoryinfo", "") +
             HelpExampleRpc("getmemoryinfo", ""));
     }
 
-    UniValue obj(UniValue::VOBJ);
-    obj.push_back(Pair("locked", RPCLockedMemoryInfo()));
-    return obj;
+    std::string mode = (request.params.size() < 1 || request.params[0].isNull())
+                           ? "stats"
+                           : request.params[0].get_str();
+    if (mode == "stats") {
+        UniValue obj(UniValue::VOBJ);
+        obj.push_back(Pair("locked", RPCLockedMemoryInfo()));
+        return obj;
+    } else if (mode == "mallocinfo") {
+#ifdef HAVE_MALLOC_INFO
+        return RPCMallocInfo();
+#else
+        throw JSONRPCError(
+            RPC_INVALID_PARAMETER,
+            "mallocinfo is only available when compiled with glibc 2.10+");
+#endif
+    } else {
+        throw JSONRPCError(RPC_INVALID_PARAMETER, "unknown mode " + mode);
+    }
 }
 
 static UniValue echo(const Config &config, const JSONRPCRequest &request) {
@@ -633,12 +678,11 @@
     //  category            name                      actor (function)        okSafeMode
     //  ------------------- ------------------------  ----------------------  ----------
     { "control",            "getinfo",                getinfo,                true,  {} }, /* uses wallet if enabled */
-    { "control",            "getmemoryinfo",          getmemoryinfo,          true,  {} },
+    { "control",            "getmemoryinfo",          getmemoryinfo,          true,  {"mode"} },
     { "util",               "validateaddress",        validateaddress,        true,  {"address"} }, /* uses wallet if enabled */
     { "util",               "createmultisig",         createmultisig,         true,  {"nrequired","keys"} },
     { "util",               "verifymessage",          verifymessage,          true,  {"address","signature","message"} },
     { "util",               "signmessagewithprivkey", signmessagewithprivkey, true,  {"privkey","message"} },
-
     /* Not shown in help */
     { "hidden",             "setmocktime",            setmocktime,            true,  {"timestamp"}},
     { "hidden",             "echo",                   echo,                   true,  {"arg0","arg1","arg2","arg3","arg4","arg5","arg6","arg7","arg8","arg9"}},