diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 8e443e2..a095632 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -302,6 +302,25 @@
   stream_putw (s, command);
 }
 
+int
+zclient_read_header (struct stream *s, int sock, u_int16_t *size, u_char *marker,
+                     u_char *version, u_int16_t *vrf_id, u_int16_t *cmd)
+{
+  if (stream_read (s, sock, ZEBRA_HEADER_SIZE) != ZEBRA_HEADER_SIZE)
+    return -1;
+
+  *size = stream_getw (s) - ZEBRA_HEADER_SIZE;
+  *marker = stream_getc (s);
+  *version = stream_getc (s);
+  *vrf_id = stream_getw (s);
+  *cmd = stream_getw (s);
+
+  if (*size && stream_read (s, sock, *size) != *size)
+    return -1;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 /* Send simple Zebra message. */
 static int
 zebra_message_send (struct zclient *zclient, int command, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
diff --git a/lib/zclient.h b/lib/zclient.h
index 19b4f0e..3490b32 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.h
+++ b/lib/zclient.h
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@
 
 /* create header for command, length to be filled in by user later */
 extern void zclient_create_header (struct stream *, uint16_t, vrf_id_t);
+extern int zclient_read_header (struct stream *s, int sock, u_int16_t *size,
+				u_char *marker, u_char *version,
+				u_int16_t *vrf_id, u_int16_t *cmd);
 
 extern struct interface *zebra_interface_add_read (struct stream *,
     vrf_id_t);