diff --git a/src/stanza.c b/src/stanza.c
index 2a36b6e..a93d7de 100644
--- a/src/stanza.c
+++ b/src/stanza.c
@@ -778,11 +778,20 @@ char *xmpp_stanza_get_text(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza)
     xmpp_stanza_t *child;
     char *text;
 
+    if (stanza->type == XMPP_STANZA_TEXT) {
+	if (stanza->data)
+	    return xmpp_strdup(stanza->ctx, stanza->data);
+	else
+	    return NULL;
+    }
+
     len = 0;
     for (child = stanza->children; child; child = child->next)
 	if (child->type == XMPP_STANZA_TEXT)
 	    len += strlen(child->data);
 
+    if (len == 0) return NULL;
+
     text = (char *)xmpp_alloc(stanza->ctx, len + 1);
     if (!text) return NULL;
 
@@ -799,6 +808,26 @@ char *xmpp_stanza_get_text(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza)
     return text;
 }
 
+/** Get the text data pointer for a text stanza.
+ *  This function copies returns the raw pointer to the text data in the
+ *  stanza.  This should only be used in very special cases where the 
+ *  caller needs to translate the datatype as this will save a double
+ *  allocation.  The caller should not hold onto this pointer, and is
+ *  responsible for allocating a copy if it needs one.
+ *
+ *  @param stanza a Strophe stanza object
+ *
+ *  @return an string pointer to the data or NULL
+ *
+ *  @ingroup Stanza
+ */
+char *xmpp_stanza_get_text_ptr(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza)
+{
+    if (stanza->type == XMPP_STANZA_TEXT)
+	return stanza->data;
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 /** Set the 'id' attribute of a stanza.
  *
  *  This is a convenience function for:
diff --git a/strophe.h b/strophe.h
index 930dcb6..abc1039 100644
--- a/strophe.h
+++ b/strophe.h
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ char * xmpp_stanza_get_ns(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza);
 /* concatenate all child text nodes.  this function
  * returns a string that must be freed by the caller */
 char *xmpp_stanza_get_text(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza);
+char *xmpp_stanza_get_text_ptr(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza);
 char *xmpp_stanza_get_name(xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza);
 
 int xmpp_stanza_add_child(xmpp_stanza_t *stanza, xmpp_stanza_t *child);