diff --git a/lib/error_numbers.h b/lib/error_numbers.h
index 87b01467a5..b36b4f997a 100755
--- a/lib/error_numbers.h
+++ b/lib/error_numbers.h
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
 #define ERR_WRONG_URL       -219
 #define ERR_DUP_NAME        -220
 #define ERR_ABORTED_BY_PROJECT  -221
-
+#define ERR_GETGRNAM        -222
 
 // PLEASE: add a text description of your error to 
 // the text description function boincerror() in util.C.
diff --git a/lib/util.C b/lib/util.C
index e6f113b379..9bbdadddd9 100755
--- a/lib/util.C
+++ b/lib/util.C
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <grp.h>
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #endif
@@ -1023,6 +1024,7 @@ const char* boincerror(int which_error) {
         case ERR_FSYNC: return "Couldn't sync file";
         case ERR_TRUNCATE: return "Couldn't truncate file";
         case ERR_ABORTED_BY_PROJECT: return "Aborted by project";
+        case ERR_GETGRNAM: return "Group not found";
         case 404: return "HTTP file not found";
         case 407: return "HTTP proxy authentication failure";
         case 416: return "HTTP range request error";
@@ -1037,4 +1039,13 @@ const char* boincerror(int which_error) {
     return buf;
 }
  
+#ifndef _WIN32
+int lookup_group(char* name, gid_t& gid) {
+    struct group* gp = getgrnam(name);
+    if (!gp) return ERR_GETGRNAM;
+    gid = gp->gr_gid;
+    return 0;
+}
+#endif
+
 const char *BOINC_RCSID_ab65c90e1e = "$Id$";
diff --git a/lib/util.h b/lib/util.h
index 56c1322689..5d307b4668 100755
--- a/lib/util.h
+++ b/lib/util.h
@@ -130,4 +130,8 @@ extern void mysql_timestamp(double, char*);
 //
 extern const char* boincerror(int which_error);
 
+#ifndef _WIN32
+extern int lookup_group(char*, gid_t& gid);
+#endif
+
 #endif