diff --git a/src/engine/Transaction.c b/src/engine/Transaction.c
index 1ef2bde60c..1ca3a25e39 100644
--- a/src/engine/Transaction.c
+++ b/src/engine/Transaction.c
@@ -1051,5 +1051,34 @@ xaccSplitGetSharePrice (Split * split)
    return (split->share_price);
 }
 
+/********************************************************************\
+\********************************************************************/
+
+Account *
+xaccGetAccountByName (Transaction *trans, const char * name)
+{
+   Split *s;
+   Account *acc;
+   int i;
+
+   if (!trans) return NULL;
+   if (!name) return NULL;
+
+   /* walk through the splits, looking for one, any one, that has a parent account */
+   i = 0;
+   s = trans->splits[0];
+   while (s) {
+      acc = s->acc;
+      if (acc) break;
+      i++;
+      s = trans->splits[i];
+   }
+   
+   if (!acc) return 0x0;
+
+   acc = xaccGetPeerAccountFromName (acc, name);
+   return acc;
+}
+
 /************************ END OF ************************************\
 \************************* FILE *************************************/
diff --git a/src/engine/Transaction.h b/src/engine/Transaction.h
index f71160a3c9..e912903679 100644
--- a/src/engine/Transaction.h
+++ b/src/engine/Transaction.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ char *        xaccTransGetNum (Transaction *);
 char *        xaccTransGetDescription (Transaction *);
 time_t        xaccTransGetDate (Transaction *);
 
+/* ------------- splits --------------- */
 /* return the number of splits */
 int           xaccTransCountSplits (Transaction *trans);
 
@@ -221,4 +222,11 @@ int  xaccSplitOrder (Split **sa, Split **sb);
  */
 int xaccCountTransactions (Transaction **tarray);
 
+/* 
+ * convenience routine that is essentially identical to 
+ * xaccGetPeerrAccountFromName, except that it accepts the handy
+ * transaction as root.
+ */
+Account * xaccGetAccountByName (Transaction *, const char *);
+
 #endif /* __XACC_TRANSACTION_H__ */