diff --git a/library/x509.c b/library/x509.c
index 2ba1e86..80390ae 100644
--- a/library/x509.c
+++ b/library/x509.c
@@ -119,6 +119,20 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Parse an algorithm identifier with (optional) paramaters
+ */
+int x509_get_alg( unsigned char **p, const unsigned char *end,
+                  x509_buf *alg, x509_buf *params )
+{
+    int ret;
+
+    if( ( ret = asn1_get_alg( p, end, alg, params ) ) != 0 )
+        return( POLARSSL_ERR_X509_INVALID_ALG + ret );
+
+    return( 0 );
+}
+
+/*
  *  AttributeTypeAndValue ::= SEQUENCE {
  *    type     AttributeType,
  *    value    AttributeValue }