diff --git a/include/haproxy/sample.h b/include/haproxy/sample.h
index 7e05e7840..e8694c656 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/sample.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/sample.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 extern sample_cast_fct sample_casts[SMP_TYPES][SMP_TYPES];
 extern const unsigned int fetch_cap[SMP_SRC_ENTRIES];
 extern const char *smp_to_type[SMP_TYPES];
+int type_to_smp(const char *type);
 
 struct sample_expr *sample_parse_expr(char **str, int *idx, const char *file, int line, char **err, struct arg_list *al, char **endptr);
 int sample_parse_expr_cnv(char **str, int *idx, char **endptr, char **err_msg, struct arg_list *al, const char *file, int line,
diff --git a/src/sample.c b/src/sample.c
index a7b8a23a7..cbb959161 100644
--- a/src/sample.c
+++ b/src/sample.c
@@ -61,6 +61,21 @@ const char *smp_to_type[SMP_TYPES] = {
 	[SMP_T_METH] = "meth",
 };
 
+/* Returns SMP_T_* smp matching with <type> name or SMP_TYPES if
+ * not found.
+ */
+int type_to_smp(const char *type)
+{
+	int it = 0;
+
+	while (it < SMP_TYPES) {
+		if (!strcmp(type, smp_to_type[it]))
+			break; // found
+		it += 1;
+	}
+	return it;
+}
+
 /* static sample used in sample_process() when <p> is NULL */
 static THREAD_LOCAL struct sample temp_smp;