diff --git a/daemon/bencode.h b/daemon/bencode.h
index c430e7ceb..35043ba36 100644
--- a/daemon/bencode.h
+++ b/daemon/bencode.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #if defined(PKG_MALLOC) || defined(pkg_malloc)
 /* kamailio */
 # include "../../mem/mem.h"
+# include "../../str.h"
 # ifndef BENCODE_MALLOC
 # define BENCODE_MALLOC pkg_malloc
 # define BENCODE_FREE pkg_free
@@ -87,6 +88,9 @@ bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_len(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key
 /* Convenience function to add a string value to a dictionary */
 static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_string(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, const char *val);
 
+/* Ditto, but for a "str" object */
+static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_str(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, const str *val);
+
 /* Convenience function to add an integer value to a dictionary */
 static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_integer(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, long long int val);
 
@@ -108,6 +112,10 @@ bencode_item_t *bencode_string_len(bencode_buffer_t *buf, const char *s, int len
  * to bencode_string_len(). */
 static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_string(bencode_buffer_t *buf, const char *s);
 
+/* Creates a new byte-string object from a "str" object. The string does not have to be null-
+ * terminated. */
+static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_str(bencode_buffer_t *buf, const str *s);
+
 /* Creates a new integer object. Returns NULL if no memory could be allocated. */
 bencode_item_t *bencode_integer(bencode_buffer_t *buf, long long int i);
 
@@ -208,13 +216,18 @@ bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_get_len(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key
  * valid pointer. The returned string will be valid until dict's bencode_buffer_t object is destroyed. */
 static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_string(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, int *len);
 
-/* Identical to bencode_dictionary_get_string() but fills in a "str" struct. Returns str->s. */
+/* Identical to bencode_dictionary_get_string() but fills in a "str" struct. Returns str->s, which
+ * may be NULL. */
 static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_str(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, str *str);
 
 /* Identical to bencode_dictionary_get() but returns the string in a newly allocated buffer (using the
  * BENCODE_MALLOC function), which remains valid even after bencode_buffer_t is destroyed. */
 static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_string_dup(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, int *len);
 
+/* Combines bencode_dictionary_get_str() and bencode_dictionary_get_string_dup(). Fills in a "str"
+ * struct, but copies the string into a newly allocated buffer. Returns str->s. */
+static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_str_dup(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, str *str);
+
 /* Identical to bencode_dictionary_get_string() but expects an integer object. The parameter "defval"
  * specified which value should be returned if the key is not found or if the value is not an integer. */
 static inline long long int bencode_dictionary_get_integer(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, long long int defval);
@@ -229,6 +242,10 @@ static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_string(bencode_buffer_t *buf, const char *
 	return bencode_string_len(buf, s, strlen(s));
 }
 
+static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_str(bencode_buffer_t *buf, const str *s) {
+	return bencode_string_len(buf, s->s, s->len);
+}
+
 static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, bencode_item_t *val) {
 	if (!key)
 		return NULL;
@@ -241,6 +258,12 @@ static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_string(bencode_item_t *dict
 	return bencode_dictionary_add(dict, key, bencode_string(dict->buffer, val));
 }
 
+static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_str(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, const str *val) {
+	if (!val)
+		return NULL;
+	return bencode_dictionary_add(dict, key, bencode_str(dict->buffer, val));
+}
+
 static inline bencode_item_t *bencode_dictionary_add_integer(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, long long int val) {
 	return bencode_dictionary_add(dict, key, bencode_integer(dict->buffer, val));
 }
@@ -282,6 +305,11 @@ static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_string_dup(bencode_item_t *dict, cons
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static inline char *bencode_dictionary_get_str_dup(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, str *str) {
+	str->s = bencode_dictionary_get_string_dup(dict, key, &str->len);
+	return str->s;
+}
+
 static inline long long int bencode_dictionary_get_integer(bencode_item_t *dict, const char *key, long long int defval) {
 	bencode_item_t *val;
 	val = bencode_dictionary_get(dict, key);