diff --git a/rpmio/rpmstrpool.c b/rpmio/rpmstrpool.c
index 55fc0e0bd..799136b01 100644
--- a/rpmio/rpmstrpool.c
+++ b/rpmio/rpmstrpool.c
@@ -173,3 +173,12 @@ size_t rpmstrPoolStrlen(rpmstrPool pool, rpmsid sid)
     }
     return slen;
 }
+
+int rpmstrPoolStreq(rpmstrPool poolA, rpmsid sidA,
+		    rpmstrPool poolB, rpmsid sidB)
+{
+    if (poolA == poolB)
+	return (sidA == sidB);
+    else
+	return rstreq(rpmstrPoolStr(poolA, sidA), rpmstrPoolStr(poolB, sidB));
+}
diff --git a/rpmio/rpmstrpool.h b/rpmio/rpmstrpool.h
index 67e162056..5794032a1 100644
--- a/rpmio/rpmstrpool.h
+++ b/rpmio/rpmstrpool.h
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ const char * rpmstrPoolStr(rpmstrPool sidpool, rpmsid sid);
 /* get a strings length by its id (in constant time) */
 size_t rpmstrPoolStrlen(rpmstrPool pool, rpmsid sid);
 
+/* pool string equality comparison (constant time if within same pool) */
+int rpmstrPoolStreq(rpmstrPool poolA, rpmsid sidA,
+                    rpmstrPool poolB, rpmsid sidB);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif