diff --git a/src/emu/devintrf.c b/src/emu/devintrf.c
index b8b2c321bec..57397dd18a1 100644
--- a/src/emu/devintrf.c
+++ b/src/emu/devintrf.c
@@ -360,6 +360,27 @@ const device_config *device_list_find_by_tag(const device_config *listhead, cons
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    device_find_child_by_tag - retrieve a child 
+	device configuration based on a tag
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+const device_config *device_find_child_by_tag(const device_config *owner, const char *tag)
+{
+	astring *tempstring;
+	const device_config *child;
+	
+	assert(owner != NULL);
+	assert(tag != NULL);
+
+	tempstring = astring_alloc();
+	child = device_list_find_by_tag(owner->machine->config->devicelist, device_build_tag(tempstring, owner, tag));
+	astring_free(tempstring);
+
+	return child;
+}
+
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------
     device_list_index - return the index of a
     device based on its type and tag;
diff --git a/src/emu/devintrf.h b/src/emu/devintrf.h
index 78d60ffc67f..31d8db7cca1 100644
--- a/src/emu/devintrf.h
+++ b/src/emu/devintrf.h
@@ -367,6 +367,9 @@ const device_config *device_list_next(const device_config *prevdevice, device_ty
 /* retrieve a device configuration based on a tag */
 const device_config *device_list_find_by_tag(const device_config *listhead, const char *tag);
 
+/* retrieve a child device configuration based on a tag */
+const device_config *device_find_child_by_tag(const device_config *owner, const char *tag);
+
 /* return the index of a device based on its type and tag; DEVICE_TYPE_WILDCARD is allowed */
 int device_list_index(const device_config *listhead, device_type type, const char *tag);