diff --git a/libelf/elf_strptr.c b/libelf/elf_strptr.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e72a3a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libelf/elf_strptr.c
@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+/* Return string pointer from string section.
+   Copyright (C) 1998-2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
+   This file is part of elfutils.
+   Contributed by Ulrich Drepper <drepper@redhat.com>, 1998.
+
+   This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of either
+
+     * the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+       Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+       your option) any later version
+
+   or
+
+     * the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+       Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
+       your option) any later version
+
+   or both in parallel, as here.
+
+   elfutils is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and
+   the GNU Lesser General Public License along with this program.  If
+   not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <libelf.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+#include "libelfP.h"
+
+
+static void *
+get_zdata (Elf_Scn *strscn)
+{
+  size_t zsize, zalign;
+  void *zdata = __libelf_decompress_elf (strscn, &zsize, &zalign);
+  if (zdata == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+
+  strscn->zdata_base = zdata;
+  strscn->zdata_size = zsize;
+  strscn->zdata_align = zalign;
+
+  return zdata;
+}
+
+static bool validate_str (const char *str, size_t from, size_t to)
+{
+#if HAVE_DECL_MEMRCHR
+  return memrchr (&str[from], '\0', to - from) != NULL;
+#else
+  do {
+    if (to <= from)
+      return false;
+
+    to--;
+  } while (str[to]);
+
+  return true;
+#endif
+}
+
+char *
+elf_strptr (Elf *elf, size_t idx, size_t offset)
+{
+  if (elf == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+
+  if (elf->kind != ELF_K_ELF)
+    {
+      __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_HANDLE);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+  rwlock_rdlock (elf->lock);
+
+  char *result = NULL;
+  Elf_Scn *strscn;
+
+  /* Find the section in the list.  */
+  Elf_ScnList *runp = (elf->class == ELFCLASS32
+		       || (offsetof (struct Elf, state.elf32.scns)
+			   == offsetof (struct Elf, state.elf64.scns))
+		       ? &elf->state.elf32.scns : &elf->state.elf64.scns);
+  while (1)
+    {
+      if (idx < runp->max)
+	{
+	  if (idx < runp->cnt)
+	    strscn = &runp->data[idx];
+	  else
+	    {
+	      __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX);
+	      goto out;
+	    }
+	  break;
+	}
+
+      idx -= runp->max;
+
+      runp = runp->next;
+      if (runp == NULL)
+	{
+	  __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX);
+	  goto out;
+	}
+    }
+
+  size_t sh_size = 0;
+  if (elf->class == ELFCLASS32)
+    {
+      Elf32_Shdr *shdr = strscn->shdr.e32 ?: __elf32_getshdr_rdlock (strscn);
+      if (unlikely (shdr->sh_type != SHT_STRTAB))
+	{
+	  /* This is no string section.  */
+	  __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION);
+	  goto out;
+	}
+
+      if ((shdr->sh_flags & SHF_COMPRESSED) == 0)
+	sh_size = shdr->sh_size;
+      else
+	{
+	  if (strscn->zdata_base == NULL && get_zdata (strscn) == NULL)
+	    goto out;
+	  sh_size = strscn->zdata_size;
+	}
+
+      if (unlikely (offset >= sh_size))
+	{
+	  /* The given offset is too big, it is beyond this section.  */
+	  __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE);
+	  goto out;
+	}
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      Elf64_Shdr *shdr = strscn->shdr.e64 ?: __elf64_getshdr_rdlock (strscn);
+      if (unlikely (shdr->sh_type != SHT_STRTAB))
+	{
+	  /* This is no string section.  */
+	  __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION);
+	  goto out;
+	}
+
+      if ((shdr->sh_flags & SHF_COMPRESSED) == 0)
+	sh_size = shdr->sh_size;
+      else
+	{
+	  if (strscn->zdata_base == NULL && get_zdata (strscn) == NULL)
+	    goto out;
+	  sh_size = strscn->zdata_size;
+	}
+
+      if (unlikely (offset >= sh_size))
+	{
+	  /* The given offset is too big, it is beyond this section.  */
+	  __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE);
+	  goto out;
+	}
+    }
+
+  if (strscn->rawdata_base == NULL && ! strscn->data_read)
+    {
+      rwlock_unlock (elf->lock);
+      rwlock_wrlock (elf->lock);
+      if (strscn->rawdata_base == NULL && ! strscn->data_read
+	/* Read the section data.  */
+	  && __libelf_set_rawdata_wrlock (strscn) != 0)
+	goto out;
+    }
+
+  if (unlikely (strscn->zdata_base != NULL))
+    {
+      /* Make sure the string is NUL terminated.  Start from the end,
+         which very likely is a NUL char.  */
+      if (likely (validate_str (strscn->zdata_base, offset, sh_size)))
+        result = &strscn->zdata_base[offset];
+      else
+        __libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX);
+    }
+  else if (likely (strscn->data_list_rear == NULL))
+    {
+      // XXX The above is currently correct since elf_newdata will
+      // make sure to convert the rawdata into the datalist if
+      // necessary. But it would be more efficient to keep the rawdata
+      // unconverted and only then iterate over the rest of the (newly
+      // added data) list.  Note that when the ELF file is mmapped
+      // rawdata_base can be set while rawdata.d hasn't been
+      // initialized yet (when data_read is zero). So we cannot just
+      // look at the rawdata.d.d_size.
+
+      /* Make sure the string is NUL terminated.  Start from the end,
+	 which very likely is a NUL char.  */
+      if (likely (validate_str (strscn->rawdata_base, offset, sh_size)))
+	result = &strscn->rawdata_base[offset];
+      else
+	__libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      /* This is a file which is currently created.  Use the list of
+	 data blocks.  */
+      struct Elf_Data_List *dl = &strscn->data_list;
+      while (dl != NULL)
+	{
+	  if (offset >= (size_t) dl->data.d.d_off
+	      && offset < dl->data.d.d_off + dl->data.d.d_size)
+	    {
+	      /* Make sure the string is NUL terminated.  Start from
+		 the end, which very likely is a NUL char.  */
+	      if (likely (validate_str ((char *) dl->data.d.d_buf,
+					offset - dl->data.d.d_off,
+					dl->data.d.d_size)))
+		result = ((char *) dl->data.d.d_buf
+			  + (offset - dl->data.d.d_off));
+	      else
+		__libelf_seterrno (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX);
+	      break;
+	    }
+
+	  dl = dl->next;
+	}
+    }
+
+ out:
+  rwlock_unlock (elf->lock);
+
+  return result;
+}
+INTDEF(elf_strptr)