diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance-p.h b/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance-p.h
index 783a9a495e..7582ad75ad 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance-p.h
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance-p.h
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ gboolean qof_instance_kvp_has_guid (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path,
 void qof_instance_kvp_merge_guids (const QofInstance *target,
                                    const QofInstance *donor, const char* path);
 gboolean qof_instance_has_slot (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path);
+void qof_instance_slot_delete (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path);
+void qof_instance_slot_delete_if_empty (const QofInstance *inst,
+                                        const char *path);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance.cpp b/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance.cpp
index ed0b2a2834..3ae1e879a5 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance.cpp
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofinstance.cpp
@@ -1273,5 +1273,19 @@ qof_instance_has_slot (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path)
     return kvp_frame_get_value (inst->kvp_data, path) != NULL;
 }
 
+void
+qof_instance_slot_delete (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path)
+{
+    kvp_frame_set_frame_nc (inst->kvp_data, path, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+qof_instance_slot_delete_if_empty (const QofInstance *inst, const char *path)
+{
+    KvpFrame *frame = kvp_frame_get_frame (inst->kvp_data, path);
+    if (frame && kvp_frame_is_empty (frame))
+        kvp_frame_set_frame_nc (inst->kvp_data, path, NULL);
+}
+
 /* ========================== END OF FILE ======================= */