diff --git a/lib/core/libwebsockets.c b/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
index de9325177..4c095aec8 100644
--- a/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
+++ b/lib/core/libwebsockets.c
@@ -3019,6 +3019,21 @@ lws_pvo_search(const struct lws_protocol_vhost_options *pvo, const char *name)
 	return pvo;
 }
 
+int
+lws_pvo_get_str(void *in, const char *name, const char **result)
+{
+	const struct lws_protocol_vhost_options *pv =
+		lws_pvo_search((const struct lws_protocol_vhost_options *)in,
+				name);
+
+	if (!pv)
+		return 1;
+
+	*result = (const char *)pv->value;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void
 lws_sum_stats(const struct lws_context *ctx, struct lws_conn_stats *cs)
 {
diff --git a/lib/libwebsockets.h b/lib/libwebsockets.h
index dffeb9d81..4857850ce 100644
--- a/lib/libwebsockets.h
+++ b/lib/libwebsockets.h
@@ -2456,6 +2456,18 @@ lws_finalize_startup(struct lws_context *context);
 LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN const struct lws_protocol_vhost_options *
 lws_pvo_search(const struct lws_protocol_vhost_options *pvo, const char *name);
 
+/**
+ * lws_pvo_get_str() - retreive a string pvo value
+ *
+ * \param pvo:	the first pvo in the linked-list
+ * \param name: the name of the pvo to return if found
+ * \param result: pointer to a const char * to get the result if any
+ *
+ * Returns 0 if found and *result set, or nonzero if not found
+ */
+LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN int
+lws_pvo_get_str(void *in, const char *name, const char **result);
+
 LWS_VISIBLE LWS_EXTERN int
 lws_protocol_init(struct lws_context *context);