diff --git a/src/core/ddsi/include/ddsi/ddsi_ser.h b/src/core/ddsi/include/ddsi/ddsi_ser.h
index d8f4506..5ac849d 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsi/include/ddsi/ddsi_ser.h
+++ b/src/core/ddsi/include/ddsi/ddsi_ser.h
@@ -189,4 +189,6 @@ void * ddsi_serstate_append (serstate_t st, size_t n);
 void * ddsi_serstate_append_align (serstate_t st, size_t a);
 void * ddsi_serstate_append_aligned (serstate_t st, size_t n, size_t a);
 
+OSAPI_EXPORT void ddsi_serdata_getblob (void **raw, size_t *sz, serdata_t serdata);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/core/ddsi/src/ddsi_ser.c b/src/core/ddsi/src/ddsi_ser.c
index eef360e..2fe02c5 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsi/src/ddsi_ser.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsi/src/ddsi_ser.c
@@ -140,6 +140,21 @@ uint32_t ddsi_serdata_size (const struct serdata *serdata)
     return (uint32_t) (sizeof (struct CDRHeader) + st->pos);
 }
 
+void ddsi_serdata_getblob (void **raw, size_t *sz, serdata_t serdata)
+{
+  const struct serstate *st = serdata->v.st;
+  if (serdata->v.st->kind == STK_EMPTY)
+  {
+    *sz = 0;
+    *raw = NULL;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    *sz = sizeof (struct CDRHeader) + st->pos;
+    *raw = &serdata->hdr;
+  }
+}
+
 int ddsi_serdata_is_key (const struct serdata * serdata)
 {
   return serdata->v.st->kind == STK_KEY;