diff --git a/src/ui_utils.c b/src/ui_utils.c
index df48519a..da004a7e 100644
--- a/src/ui_utils.c
+++ b/src/ui_utils.c
@@ -2444,6 +2444,15 @@ GtkWidget *ui_lookup_widget(GtkWidget *widget, const gchar *widget_name)
 }
 
 
+/* wraps gtk_builder_get_object()
+ * unlike ui_lookup_widget(), it does only support getting object created from the main
+ * UI file, but it can fetch any object, not only widgets */
+gpointer ui_builder_get_object (const gchar *name)
+{
+	return gtk_builder_get_object (builder, name);
+}
+
+
 /* Progress Bar */
 static guint progress_bar_timer_id = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/ui_utils.h b/src/ui_utils.h
index 6305bd8a..57a17241 100644
--- a/src/ui_utils.h
+++ b/src/ui_utils.h
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ void ui_widget_set_tooltip_text(GtkWidget *widget, const gchar *text);
 
 GtkWidget *ui_lookup_widget(GtkWidget *widget, const gchar *widget_name);
 
+gpointer ui_builder_get_object (const gchar *name);
+
 /* Compatibility functions */
 GtkWidget *create_edit_menu1(void);
 GtkWidget *create_prefs_dialog(void);