diff --git a/hashtable.c b/hashtable.c
index 813024c..07a700b 100644
--- a/hashtable.c
+++ b/hashtable.c
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ static hashtable_entry_t **hashtable_find(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key)
   return entryptr;
 }
 
+int hashtable_contains(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key) {
+  hashtable_entry_t **entryptr = hashtable_find(table, key);
+  return (*entryptr != NULL);
+}
+
 int hashtable_get(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key, void **valueptr) {
   hashtable_entry_t **entryptr = hashtable_find(table, key);
   if (*entryptr == NULL) {
diff --git a/hashtable.h b/hashtable.h
index 8d36774..e8ff63f 100644
--- a/hashtable.h
+++ b/hashtable.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ extern void init_hashtable(hashtable_t *table,
 			   void (*free_value)(void *));
 extern void destroy_hashtable(hashtable_t *table);
 
+extern int hashtable_contains(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key);
 extern int hashtable_get(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key, void **valueptr);
 extern int hashtable_put(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key, void *value);
 extern int hashtable_erase(hashtable_t *table, cmsg_bytes_t key);