diff --git a/include/libtorrent/lazy_entry.hpp b/include/libtorrent/lazy_entry.hpp
index ffd4337e4..ffb5b67ee 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/lazy_entry.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/lazy_entry.hpp
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		size_type dict_find_int_value(char const* name, size_type default_val = 0) const;
 		lazy_entry const* dict_find_dict(char const* name) const;
 		lazy_entry const* dict_find_list(char const* name) const;
+		lazy_entry const* dict_find_string(char const* name) const;
 
 		std::pair<std::string, lazy_entry const*> dict_at(int i) const
 		{
diff --git a/src/lazy_bdecode.cpp b/src/lazy_bdecode.cpp
index 5c1e37419..7d2804ff8 100644
--- a/src/lazy_bdecode.cpp
+++ b/src/lazy_bdecode.cpp
@@ -260,6 +260,13 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return e->string_value();
 	}
 
+	lazy_entry const* lazy_entry::dict_find_string(char const* name) const
+	{
+		lazy_entry const* e = dict_find(name);
+		if (e == 0 || e->type() != lazy_entry::string_t) return 0;
+		return e;
+	}
+
 	size_type lazy_entry::dict_find_int_value(char const* name, size_type default_val) const
 	{
 		lazy_entry const* e = dict_find(name);