diff --git a/src/tm-modules.c b/src/tm-modules.c
index 0ed4d0a2e5..d00044d8dc 100644
--- a/src/tm-modules.c
+++ b/src/tm-modules.c
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ TmModule *TmModuleGetByName(const char *name) {
     return NULL;
 }
 
+/** \brief get the id of a module from it's name
+ *  \param name registered name of the module
+ *  \retval id the id or -1 in case of error */
+int TmModuleGetIdByName(const char *name) {
+    TmModule *tm = TmModuleGetByName(name);
+    if (tm == NULL)
+        return -1;;
+    return TmModuleGetIDForTM(tm);
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Returns a TM Module by its id.
  *
diff --git a/src/tm-modules.h b/src/tm-modules.h
index 08f8a55561..46065ef973 100644
--- a/src/tm-modules.h
+++ b/src/tm-modules.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ int LogFileFreeCtx(LogFileCtx *);
 
 TmModule *TmModuleGetByName(const char *name);
 TmModule *TmModuleGetById(int id);
+int TmModuleGetIdByName(const char *name);
 int TmModuleGetIDForTM(TmModule *tm);
 TmEcode TmModuleRegister(char *name, int (*module_func)(ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *));
 void TmModuleDebugList(void);