diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index 15960c7..c12e4bb 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "utils.h"
+#include "matrix-types.h"
 
 gchar *
 _g_enum_to_string(GType enum_type, gint value, gboolean convert_dashes)
@@ -43,3 +44,36 @@ _g_enum_to_string(GType enum_type, gint value, gboolean convert_dashes)
 
     return nick;
 }
+
+gint
+_g_enum_nick_to_value(GType enum_type, const gchar *nick, GError **error)
+{
+    GEnumClass *enum_class = g_type_class_ref(enum_type);
+    GEnumValue *enum_value = NULL;
+    gchar *nick_c = NULL;
+    gchar *a;
+    int ret = 0;
+
+    nick_c = g_strdup(nick);
+
+    for (a = nick_c; *a; a++) {
+        if (*a == '_') {
+            *a = '-';
+        }
+    }
+
+    enum_value = g_enum_get_value_by_nick(enum_class, nick_c);
+    g_free(nick_c);
+
+    if (enum_value) {
+        ret = enum_value->value;
+    } else {
+        g_set_error(error,
+                    MATRIX_ERROR, MATRIX_ERROR_UNKNOWN_VALUE,
+                    "Value %s is unknown", nick);
+    }
+
+    g_type_class_unref(enum_class);
+
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/utils.h b/src/utils.h
index 487034d..ab85814 100644
--- a/src/utils.h
+++ b/src/utils.h
@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@
 #include <glib-object.h>
 
 gchar *_g_enum_to_string(GType enum_type, gint value, gboolean convert_dash);
+gint _g_enum_nick_to_value(GType enum_type, const gchar *nick, GError **error);
 
 #endif /* __MATRIX_UTILS_H__ */