diff --git a/desktop/textarea.c b/desktop/textarea.c
index 1cbb767f6..3fb18e1c4 100644
--- a/desktop/textarea.c
+++ b/desktop/textarea.c
@@ -2073,6 +2073,17 @@ int textarea_get_text(struct textarea *ta, char *buf, unsigned int len)
 }
 
 
+/* exported interface, documented in textarea.h */
+const char * textarea_data(struct textarea *ta, unsigned int *len)
+{
+	if (len != NULL) {
+		*len = ta->text.len;
+	}
+
+	return ta->text.data;
+}
+
+
 /* exported interface, documented in textarea.h */
 bool textarea_set_caret(struct textarea *ta, int caret)
 {
diff --git a/desktop/textarea.h b/desktop/textarea.h
index 898609730..b386e50e8 100644
--- a/desktop/textarea.h
+++ b/desktop/textarea.h
@@ -212,6 +212,16 @@ bool textarea_drop_text(struct textarea *ta, const char *text,
 int textarea_get_text(struct textarea *ta, char *buf, unsigned int len);
 
 
+/**
+ * Access text data in a text area
+ *
+ * \param[in]  ta   Text area
+ * \param[out] len  Returns byte length of returned text, if passed non-NULL.
+ * \return textarea string data.
+ */
+const char * textarea_data(struct textarea *ta, unsigned int *len);
+
+
 /**
  * Set the caret's position
  *