diff --git a/common/image.c b/common/image.c
index 645bfef169..4fc4a0f1c4 100644
--- a/common/image.c
+++ b/common/image.c
@@ -858,6 +858,24 @@ const char *genimg_get_cat_desc(enum ih_category category)
 	return table_info[category].desc;
 }
 
+/**
+ * genimg_cat_has_id - check whether category has entry id
+ * @category: category to look up (enum ih_category)
+ * @id: entry id to be checked
+ *
+ * This will scan the translation table trying to find the entry that matches
+ * the given id.
+ *
+ * @return true if category has entry id; false if not
+ */
+bool genimg_cat_has_id(enum ih_category category, uint id)
+{
+	if (get_table_entry(table_info[category].table, id))
+		return true;
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * get_table_entry_name - translate entry id to long name
  * @table: pointer to a translation table for entries of a specific type
diff --git a/include/image.h b/include/image.h
index 10995b8e24..00f774f837 100644
--- a/include/image.h
+++ b/include/image.h
@@ -568,6 +568,15 @@ int genimg_get_cat_count(enum ih_category category);
  */
 const char *genimg_get_cat_desc(enum ih_category category);
 
+/**
+ * genimg_cat_has_id() - Check whether a category has an item
+ *
+ * @category:	Category to check
+ * @id:		Item ID
+ * @return true or false as to whether a category has an item
+ */
+bool genimg_cat_has_id(enum ih_category category, uint id);
+
 int genimg_get_os_id(const char *name);
 int genimg_get_arch_id(const char *name);
 int genimg_get_type_id(const char *name);