diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1339cb45..36bee967 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ UTIL_INCLUDE =  \
     region.hpp	\
     signal.hpp	\
     stream.hpp	\
+    string.hpp	\
     types.hpp	\
     vector.hpp  \
     version.hpp
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ UTIL_FILES   =	\
     region.cpp	\
     signal.cpp	\
     stream.cpp	\
+    string.cpp	\
     types.cpp	\
     vector.cpp  \
     version.cpp
diff --git a/string.cpp b/string.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2cbdf3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/string.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim 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 a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2011 Danny Robson <danny@blubinc.net>
+ */
+
+#include "string.hpp"
+
+#include <cstring>
+
+// TODO: Horribly inefficient, but God help you if you're relying on this
+// being efficient in the first place.
+bool
+strbegins (const char *restrict str,
+           const char *restrict prefix) {
+    return 0 == strncmp (prefix, str, strlen (prefix));
+}
diff --git a/string.hpp b/string.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54540e90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/string.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of libgim.
+ *
+ * libgim is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * libgim 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 a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with libgim.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2011 Danny Robson <danny@blubinc.net>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __UTIL_STRING_HPP
+#define __UTIL_STRING_HPP
+
+bool
+strbegins(const char *restrict str,
+          const char *restrict prefix);
+
+#endif // __UTIL_STRING_HPP
+