diff --git a/src/emu/inptport.c b/src/emu/inptport.c
index 3ccbc1695e0..53b66434e6f 100644
--- a/src/emu/inptport.c
+++ b/src/emu/inptport.c
@@ -1582,6 +1582,21 @@ input_port_value input_port_read(running_machine *machine, const char *tag)
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    input_port_read - return the value of
+    an device input port specified by tag
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+input_port_value input_port_read(running_machine *machine, device_t *device, const char *tag)
+{
+	astring tempstring;
+	const input_port_config *port = machine->port(device->baseconfig().subtag(tempstring, tag));
+	if (port == NULL)
+		fatalerror("Unable to locate input port '%s'", tag);
+	return input_port_read_direct(port);
+}
+
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------
     input_port_read_safe - return the value of
     an input port specified by tag, or a default
diff --git a/src/emu/inptport.h b/src/emu/inptport.h
index bd2159fa7de..01b04cfcca6 100644
--- a/src/emu/inptport.h
+++ b/src/emu/inptport.h
@@ -1137,6 +1137,9 @@ input_port_value input_port_read_direct(const input_port_config *port);
 /* return the value of an input port specified by tag */
 input_port_value input_port_read(running_machine *machine, const char *tag);
 
+/* return the value of an input port specified by tag */
+input_port_value input_port_read(running_machine *machine, device_t *device, const char *tag);
+
 /* return the value of an input port specified by tag, or a default value if the port does not exist */
 input_port_value input_port_read_safe(running_machine *machine, const char *tag, input_port_value defvalue);