diff --git a/src/kits/app/Message.cpp b/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
index 5a14dcfa71..a332b506e4 100644
--- a/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/app/Message.cpp
@@ -2550,7 +2550,6 @@ DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTIONS(uint64, UInt64, B_UINT64_TYPE);
 DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTIONS(bool, Bool, B_BOOL_TYPE);
 DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTIONS(float, Float, B_FLOAT_TYPE);
 DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTIONS(double, Double, B_DOUBLE_TYPE);
-DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTIONS(const char *, String, B_STRING_TYPE);
 
 #undef DEFINE_SET_GET_FUNCTION
 
@@ -3206,6 +3205,25 @@ BMessage::SetString(const char* name, const char* value)
 }
 
 
+const char*
+BMessage::GetString(const char *name, const char *defaultValue) const
+{
+	return GetString(name, 0, defaultValue);
+}
+
+
+const char*
+BMessage::GetString(const char *name, int32 index,
+	const char *defaultValue) const
+{
+	const char* value;
+	if (FindString(name, index, &value) == B_OK)
+		return value;
+
+	return defaultValue;
+}
+
+
 status_t
 BMessage::SetString(const char *name, const BString& value)
 {
@@ -3213,6 +3231,13 @@ BMessage::SetString(const char *name, const BString& value)
 }
 
 
+status_t
+BMessage::SetString(const char *name, const char* value)
+{
+	return SetData(name, B_STRING_TYPE, value, strlen(value) + 1);
+}
+
+
 status_t
 BMessage::SetData(const char* name, type_code type, const void* data,
 	ssize_t numBytes)