diff --git a/dumux/linear/seqsolverbackend.hh b/dumux/linear/seqsolverbackend.hh
index c52132bec4514986dd3bc5ed4527c680c606bf11..ffe04084fe074e2aa049c64d41eb944e6f41bb84 100644
--- a/dumux/linear/seqsolverbackend.hh
+++ b/dumux/linear/seqsolverbackend.hh
@@ -149,6 +149,18 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+/*!
+ * \ingroup Linear
+ * \brief Returns the block level for the preconditioner for a given matrix
+ *
+ * \tparam M The matrix.
+ */
+template<class M>
+constexpr std::size_t preconditionerBlockLevel() noexcept
+{
+    return isMultiTypeBlockMatrix<M>::value ? 2 : 1;
+}
+
 /*!
  * \ingroup Linear
  * \brief Sequential ILU(n)-preconditioned BiCSTAB solver.