diff --git a/src/pulsecore/core-util.h b/src/pulsecore/core-util.h
index 15e68092b..7b59fbcd4 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/core-util.h
+++ b/src/pulsecore/core-util.h
@@ -208,6 +208,15 @@ void pa_unset_env_recorded(void);
 pa_bool_t pa_in_system_mode(void);
 
 #define pa_streq(a,b) (!strcmp((a),(b)))
+
+/* Like pa_streq, but does not blow up on NULL pointers. */
+static inline bool pa_safe_streq(const char *a, const char *b)
+{
+    if (a == NULL || b == NULL)
+        return a == b;
+    return pa_streq(a, b);
+}
+
 pa_bool_t pa_str_in_list_spaces(const char *needle, const char *haystack);
 
 char *pa_get_host_name_malloc(void);