diff --git a/libfdt/fdt_ro.c b/libfdt/fdt_ro.c
index 42da2bd..50007f6 100644
--- a/libfdt/fdt_ro.c
+++ b/libfdt/fdt_ro.c
@@ -515,8 +515,7 @@ int fdt_node_offset_by_phandle(const void *fdt, uint32_t phandle)
 	return offset; /* error from fdt_next_node() */
 }
 
-static int _fdt_stringlist_contains(const char *strlist, int listlen,
-				    const char *str)
+int fdt_stringlist_contains(const char *strlist, int listlen, const char *str)
 {
 	int len = strlen(str);
 	const char *p;
@@ -542,7 +541,7 @@ int fdt_node_check_compatible(const void *fdt, int nodeoffset,
 	prop = fdt_getprop(fdt, nodeoffset, "compatible", &len);
 	if (!prop)
 		return len;
-	if (_fdt_stringlist_contains(prop, len, compatible))
+	if (fdt_stringlist_contains(prop, len, compatible))
 		return 0;
 	else
 		return 1;
diff --git a/libfdt/libfdt.h b/libfdt/libfdt.h
index 8e57a06..c0075e7 100644
--- a/libfdt/libfdt.h
+++ b/libfdt/libfdt.h
@@ -816,6 +816,20 @@ int fdt_node_check_compatible(const void *fdt, int nodeoffset,
 int fdt_node_offset_by_compatible(const void *fdt, int startoffset,
 				  const char *compatible);
 
+/**
+ * fdt_stringlist_contains - check a string list property for a string
+ * @strlist: Property containing a list of strings to check
+ * @listlen: Length of property
+ * @str: String to search for
+ *
+ * This is a utility function provided for convenience. The list contains
+ * one or more strings, each terminated by \0, as is found in a device tree
+ * "compatible" property.
+ *
+ * @return: 1 if the string is found in the list, 0 not found, or invalid list
+ */
+int fdt_stringlist_contains(const char *strlist, int listlen, const char *str);
+
 /**********************************************************************/
 /* Write-in-place functions                                           */
 /**********************************************************************/