diff --git a/src/tvheadend.h b/src/tvheadend.h
index de534328..858c10c9 100644
--- a/src/tvheadend.h
+++ b/src/tvheadend.h
@@ -620,6 +620,8 @@ void sbuf_put_be16(sbuf_t *sb, uint16_t u16);
 
 void sbuf_put_byte(sbuf_t *sb, uint8_t u8);
 
+ssize_t sbuf_read(sbuf_t *sb, int fd);
+
 char *md5sum ( const char *str );
 
 int makedirs ( const char *path, int mode );
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index 69f51c28..7861b57a 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -364,6 +364,15 @@ sbuf_cut(sbuf_t *sb, int off)
   memmove(sb->sb_data, sb->sb_data + off, sb->sb_ptr);
 }
 
+ssize_t
+sbuf_read(sbuf_t *sb, int fd)
+{
+  ssize_t n = read(fd, sb->sb_data + sb->sb_ptr, sb->sb_size - sb->sb_ptr);
+  if (n > 0)
+    sb->sb_ptr += n;
+  return n;
+}
+
 char *
 md5sum ( const char *str )
 {