diff --git a/common/include/villas/list.h b/common/include/villas/list.h
index 851d31e39..f0e0ce39b 100644
--- a/common/include/villas/list.h
+++ b/common/include/villas/list.h
@@ -153,4 +153,6 @@ ssize_t vlist_lookup_index(struct vlist *l, const std::string &name)
 	auto *f = vlist_lookup_name<T>(l, name);
 
 	return f ? vlist_index(l, f) : -1;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+int vlist_init_and_push(struct vlist *l, void *p);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/lib/list.cpp b/common/lib/list.cpp
index 8050add7b..38f890ba4 100644
--- a/common/lib/list.cpp
+++ b/common/lib/list.cpp
@@ -287,3 +287,18 @@ void vlist_filter(struct vlist *l, dtor_cb_t cb)
 
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&l->lock);
 }
+
+int vlist_init_and_push(struct vlist *l, void *p)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	if (l->state == State::DESTROYED) {
+		ret = vlist_init(l);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
+	vlist_push(l, p);
+
+	return 0;
+}
\ No newline at end of file